Title: Robocop (1987) Original UK Release Date: 5th February 1988
Original US Release Date: 17th July 1987
UK Rating: 18
US Rating: R
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Genre: Action/Sci-Fi
Plot: A wounded cop in futuristic Detroit, it bought back as a cyborg to rid the streets of crime.
Mike's Review
This was a ground breaking film in the 80’s
however, due to the severe lack of imagination in Hollywood, it is being
remade. So I thought it was time to revisit and review it.
Robocop is set in the future, where crime has taken
over the streets of Detroit and the police force has been privatised and now
run by Omni Consumer Products (OCP). OCP are trying to revitalise the city but
first they need to sort out the crime. After an officer is mortally wounded in
the line of duty, OCP turn him into a cyborg called Robocop. Robocop soon
discovers that the criminals are more than the thugs on the streets.
Robocop stars Peter
Weller, Nancy
Allen, Dan
O'Herlihy, Ronny
Cox, Kurtwood
Smith, Miguel
Ferrer, Paul
McCrane, Ray
Wise, Robert
DoQui & Jesse
D. Goins. A truly great ensemble cast, each playing the
role to the fullest. However Kurtwood
Smith is heads above the rest of the cast. He plays Clarence J. Boddicker, the
main villain in a great and very over the top way. He stands out as one of
cinemas great bad guys. The cast goes a long way to ensure the film works so
well, especially the movements of Robocop played perfectly by Peter
Weller.
This was a state of the art film upon its release,
using stop motion effects and matte paintings as CGI was still in its infancy.
Many of the effects do look a little dated now, but it still works with the
gritty storyline and dark way it was shot. Big guns, big explosions, excess
blood and someone being dissolved in radioactive waste, a great combination!
Directed by Paul Verhoeven, it
is a masterpiece of cinema. The story, now 25 years old is still relevant
today. Big corporations getting greedy, not enough money for public services
and high rates of crime. Paul
Verhoeven has always had an interesting vision of the future
as seen in Starship Troopers & Total
Recall (interestingly, both are also being
remade). However he doesn’t seem to have much hope for the
future as all the films show life to be even harder than it is now. He is a
great movie maker and I have enjoyed many of his films.
The film is so much fun to watch. It is pure
entertainment all the way.
9 out of 10
Additional Information
Stand out performance: Kurtwood Smith as Clarence J. Boddicker
Trailer
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