Although ‘Robocop’ tries to put a futuristic sheen on the 1980s classic, and some of the effects were very well done, the film tries to cover too much ground in a package that has already been stripped of the R-rated edge of the original.

It is the near future and the massive corporation Omnicorp is at the forefront of military drone technology. For years the company has been using drones for military strikes overseas, but the technology is seen as too controversial to bring to U.S. soil. In a conveniently timed car bomb attack, police officer Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) is critically injured and chosen for Omnicorp’s new Robocop design. Brought back from the dead as a hybrid of man and machine, Omnicorp calls him a weapon to be controlled rather than the man he is.

One aspect of this version of Robocop that was on my mind throughout the screening was how overplayed the concept has become since the original film released in 1987. The Robocop franchise has spawned two sequels, two animated series and two live action TV shows in the almost three decades since it was created. This remake tries to add a modern twist to the concept by incorporating the realities of drone warfare notched up to eleven, but the film does so little to add anything new to the concept that it just kind of falls flat. It tries to add biting political commentary to the film, but it is overtly preachy without delivering anything worthwhile. 

I enjoyed the visual effects of the film for the most part — even if at times the vision of 2028 Detroit was a little bland. One of the most effective scenes of the film that shows how Murphy — without the armor — was made all the more effective thanks to some especially well done visual effects. For most of the film Murphy does not seem to be majorly threatened by anything he comes up against, but seeing how he is essentially a bunch or salvaged organs in a robot body does humanize the character. 

Overall, this Robocop is not anything too special. I felt that the great cast was underutilized for the most part, but It was fun to see Jay Baruchel add a little comic relief and Samuel L. Jackson going a little bit overboard (in a good way) as TV presenter Pat Novak. I still recommend the original Robocop over this film any day, but it would not be a terrible Redbox rental.

3/5