Nancy Ann

Nancy Ann

Film Review: Robocop

If there is one thing you can say about 1987’s Robocop it won’t be that it was a mindless action flick that revels in the excess of violence and gore (although all of those elements are present). What makes Robocop one of the best action films of the ‘80s is the fact that it wasn’t satisfied with just telling a violent action story in the near future. It wanted to be a cautionary tale about what could happen in the future if corporations were given the opportunity to take over the government police force. It’s a film that rallies against mindless violence while reveling in it at the same time.

It is through this violence that Officer Alex J. Murphy (Peter Weller) is killed in the line of duty in Old Detroit in front of his partner Officer Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen) who is only a room or two away and can hear the screams as he is gunned down. People whether they be ordinary citizens or criminals are gunned down with little thought of the consequences until Murphy is reborn as Robocop, the OCP Corporation’s newest tool on the “war on crime.” With only three prime directives Robocop is set on the city to clean up the crime whether it be a regular liquor store robbery or an attempted rape. No crime goes unpunished in the city now that he is around.

Robocop is a symbol of undying allegiance both to OCP as their newest asset and to the city of Old Detroit, which he will protect at all costs. It isn’t until he realizes the corruption within OCP that undying allegiance may not be such a good thing as he finds himself on the wrong side of the law in order to bring down the criminals within the OCP Corporation.

Weller does an excellent job of bringing humanity to Robocop when there should be none. It is important to audiences believe that ultimately Robocop has a choice in the way that he operates rather than remain a tool of the OCP Corporation which is way it is so important in the final scene of the film that Robocop no longer has his helmet on, which hides his identity. It is important that we see Robocop’s eyes and believe that even through all the metal and artificial casing there is still a human underneath. At the end when The Old Man (Dan O’Herlihy) asks Robocop what’s his name, Robocop responds “Murphy” to which we now realize Robocop has become more human than anyone else in the film.

Director Paul Verhoeven does an excellent job in presenting the screenplay by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner which is violent and uncompromising while at the same time tragic and mythic. The cinematography of Sol Negrin and Jost Vacano is strikingly rich in a city on the verge of utter decay and pestilence which is enhanced by the production design and art direction (William Sandell and Gayle Simon, respectfully). Verhoeven would revisit these themes again in Total Recall (1990) and Starship Troopers (1997) but it is in this film that he created an original classic with no other rival.

About the Author

Can you think of two sisters who are more unattractive than Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart?

Don't get me wrong, I'll freaking rock out to their songs but I refuse to watch their videos.

The dark headed one really likes carbs.

Walking For The Stars