Movie remakes can often be a mixed bag. Many have soiled the reputations of their predecessors while others have enhanced them. Fingers are always crossed they will be good with the strike ratio usually being negative. A remake of the classic 1987 sci-fi film, RoboCop scores some decent goals. Whilst never erasing memories of the original, it ensures it has its own jabs at modern society. The high octane action is a bonus as it delivers a fine ode to an oft-quoted movie.
Critically injured during the line of duty, police officer Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) finds his life changed. Becoming a guinea pig for the massive military conglomerate OmniCorp, he is turned into a cyborg solider. Gaining strength from his new mechanical body, he is tasked with protecting the Detroit streets. Instead, he focuses his attention on OmniCorp’s wicked CEO Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton). Plotting to make billions from his robotic prototype, Sellars’ machinations meet their match from the robotic arm of the law.
RoboCop travels its own road to its illustrious predecessor. Whilst the story drags and has several plot holes, it provides an entertaining mix of action and drama. Murphy’s dealings with a new life and his relationship with his family enables some depth amongst the expected gun-play. Director Jose Padilha gives the action scenes pure intensity. His sleek re-design of RoboCop’s armour fits better with the night scenes making him seem a more lethal fighting machine.
Amongst the action the screenplay interweaves themes of media manipulation with skill. Not only does Murphy fight against corruption but an easily manipulated populace. This strand is reasonably well used even if often unsubtly overscored. The lack of consistency is a fault as Murphy’s hometown of Detroit looks a little too clean to be the seedy crime city the script attempts to project.
Whilst lacking much of the original’s substance, RoboCop has enough of its own groove to make it interesting and it manages to easily walk the remake-tightrope without the need to close one’s eyes at another bad reimagining.
Reviewed by Patrick Moore
Rating out of 10: 7
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