RoboCop (2014)

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Jay Baruchel, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Jennifer Ehle
Directed by: Jose Padilha
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A technology company trying to break into the United States robotics market puts a cop (Joel Kinnaman) through a cutting edge procedure- it saves his life by replacing the majority of his body with robotics. As Robocop, he hits the streets to stop crime.

Review:

Tim: I'm one of those people who vocally wondered, "Do we really need another Robocop? Yes, Paul Verhoeven's original is surprisingly good. Unfortunately, the two films to follow it got progressively worse. Robocop 3 is atrocious. It had been 21 years since an entry in the franchise. Shouldn't we just let it go? Sadly, Hollywood loves a remake, and here we are. This reboot isn't much to get excited about. It certainly improved on the last film, but the bar was set exceptionally low.

One thing I loved about this film is that in some ways, it set out to tell its own story. Most of the same themes are present, but this isn't a film that was determined to follow its predecessor's path step-for-step. Even something like having Robocop in the black suit made me very happy. Yes, they pay tribute to the original steel color, but even changing up the suit helped to differentiate this film from those in the original trilogy. They also skipped past the female partner, which was disappointing from a females-in-Hollywood perspective, but at least was something different. One thing I hate about reboots is that they're mostly covering ground we've already traveled. While that is still true here, at least some attempt was made at something new.

The cast was impressive on paper. Joel Kinnaman, in reality, is incredibly forgettable. I honestly can't tell you one noteworthy thing about his performance. Peter Weller wasn't the greatest actor in the original, and I suppose Kinnaman follows in that tradition. He has no charisma, no spark. He gives a wooden, lackluster performance. There isn't a single memorable thing about him.

The supporting cast is thankfully better. I loved seeing Gary Oldman here, although I lamented the fact that he was slumming in a movie like this. He's one of the best parts of the film and brings credibility to the cast. Samuel L. Jackson was fine, but he felt like a bit of stunt casting. He hams it up and overacts in every scene. I suppose that was somewhat intentional, but I wish he showed a bit more restraint. It was an interesting idea having multiple cut scenes back to Jackson, but it also served to disrupt the flow of the story. Michael Keaton was another great addition, but I wish he had something interesting to do. Really, at any point in the film would be nice. Jackie Earle Haley adds a few nice scenes. I always love when a film casts Jennifer Ehle, but again, she is woefully underused (do you detect a trend here?). I have to say that as a whole, the cast is one of the best aspects of the film. Director Jose Padilha doesn't get nearly enough out of them, but it's fun seeing such a good cast, even if it's in a lackluster film.

The story is mostly average. Alex Murphy gets wounded in the line of duty (I liked the change in the event that nearly kills him) and he gets fitted with a mostly robotic body. The scene where he asks to see how much of him is actually left was shocking and hard-to-watch. In a film of boring moments, it was definitely a highlight. The rest of the movie features a story that feels like it gets bogged down with too many subplots and unnecessary details. The movie is a bit long at 117 minutes. By the time we get to the climax, the film has worn our patience down. I don't remember anything specifically exciting about the climax. Some of the special effects there looked a bit silly.

While Robocop at least makes an effort to tell its own story, it's ultimately an ineffective one. I know Padilha was very frustrated with studio interference. Much of that is the studio's fault, but the out-of-control budget certainly didn't help. Whatever the reasons, this was a troubled production and the lack of alignment around a vision for the film is obvious. While this isn't the worst film in the franchise (not sure how a movie could get worse than Robocop 3), it's not nearly as good as the original and not even as good as the first sequel. Any way you add it up, this film did not deliver. It probably shouldn't have been made in the first place. My only hope is that this kills the franchise for another two decades.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Robocop (1987). RoboCop 2, RoboCop 3