by Matt Sernaker, Editor/Reporter
Criminals beware: Robocop is back in action!
The 2014 re-imagining of Robocop has finally arrived in theaters, and it definitely has a few surprises in store for audiences. While certain basic plot elements remain from the original 1987 movie, Robocop heads in a few new directions, focusing on how technology has overtaken our daily lives.
Joel Kinnaman (The Killing) takes over the role of Detective Alex Murphy, an undercover cop working on the crime-filled streets of Detroit. When Alex and his partner get too close to a crime boss (Patrick Garrow – Copper), they are targeted for elimination. Following a catastrophic explosion, Murphy finds himself in the hands of Omnicorp’s Raymond Sellers (Michael Keaton – Batman) and Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman – The Dark Knight) who are trying to develop a product that merges man and machine. Now Alex must fight to retain his humanity, as well as hunt down the scum that tried to kill him. ROBOCOP IS HERE!
The bulky Robocop of the 80’s has been replaced with a sleek, modern take on the character. Thanks to the magic of CGI, this new Robocop is quick, efficient, and precise. We get to see some of the classic silver costume throughout the film, but Alex is given a new all black design for the majority of the story. Many people criticized the designs when the original trailer came out, but it actually didn’t bother me once we really saw it in action.
The film also stars Samuel L. Jackson (Marvel’s The Avengers) as Pat Novak – a Wolf Blitzer type character, who uses the media to further the political/corporate agenda. Based on the trailers, I was expecting Jackson in a more corporate role, working for Omnicorp to develop Robocop. I was pleasantly surprised to see that he was in a drastically different position, which helped to put a modern spin on how media plays to politics today. Jay Baruchel (This Is The End) plays Tom Pope, the Marketing Director for Omnicorp. His role is quite small in the film, and really doesn’t add anything to the story. My favorite surprise of the film was the inclusion of Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen), who shows up as weapons specialist Rick Mattox. Haley was one of the more entertaining characters in the film, who really provides an interesting foil to Murphy.
So you are probably wondering if you should bother seeing this remake. Sure remakes these days are a dime a dozen, but should you spend the money to see it? I think the answer is yes. It is a very different take on the character, and doesn’t truly rehash all of the previous plot elements from the original films. For the most part, it is a popcorn-flick, but there are certain elements that are a direct reflection on today’s society (especially in relation to the media). I would be very surprised if we didn’t see further installments of this newly revived franchise in the near future.
Matt gives Robocop (2014) 3.5 out of 5 movie remakes.
Dead or alive, you should check back to ComicsOnline.com for more reviews, news, and everything geek pop culture!
