Never gets old. One of my favorites. The social satire, with the ultraviolence and cool sci-fi story is just the perfect mix of fun. Plus all the great character actors and kick ass designs... I love this movie.
[8.3/10] Robocop is about corruption and dehumanization. At multiple levels, the film explores what it means to suck the humanity out of something, replace it with some callous cocktail of avarice and technology, and witness the grim results on all sides of the equation when what’s left takes hold. It is an action-packed polemic against private profiteering instead of the public good, of militarized escalation instead of compassion and restrain, of lead and steel instead of flesh and blood.
But it is also a paean to the irrepressibility of those human elements, despite whatever self-serving, nest-feathering malevolence may be permeating 1980s corporate boardrooms. OCP, the evil company there to replace beat cops with robotic officers, tries to erase the soul of the man who has become its product, so that he will be a better tool and a better soldier. And yet his living connections, to his family and to his partner, reawaken and sustain him despite so many efforts to stamp it out.
That thematic heft gives Robocop a punch that so many of its fellow 1980s actioners lack. That is director Paul Verhoeven’s gift -- the ability to marry lurid genre thrills and over-the-top action with something a little more piercing, even disturbing, for those willing to fire up their power drills and examine what’s lurking behind the faceplate.
He also knows the sweet spot between exaggeration and realism. Make no mistake, Robocop is a maximalist film, full of grand guignol firefights, preening villains, and even bigger emotions. You could easily take it as a film utterly lacking in subtlety. But a major part of what makes the movie work is Verhoeven and company’s ability to blend 1980s ostentatiousness with 1970s rawness. There is grit and grime beneath the four color world that the director and his team create, and that keeps the movie grounded even when it veers into the technologically fantastical or dystopian extremes.
Much of that comes from the heavy-handed but still very effective cinematography. Director of photography, Jost Vacano puts us inside Robocop’s head, something that helps evince empathy for a seemingly emotionless killing machine by nigh-literally putting the audience behind his eyes. He composes several key shots with Murphy or others close to the camera, while some key feature or detail looms in the background, making the human expression the driving image amid dystopic tumult. And he and editor Frank J. Urioste are masters of the reveal, whether it’s for the title character, the hulking but childlike ED-209, or just Murphy’s reconstructed face. In every case, the visual build, constructed shot-by-shot, makes the ultimate unveiling of each that much more impactful.
Those moments are key because the core of the movie stems from the failures and contradictions of these figures. Robocop himself is a tribute to the militarization of law enforcement, a one-man army meant as a tonic to his fleshy counterparts who, by contrast, have too many demands and cannot sustain nearly as much punishment, making them less useful as “product.” There is an utter brutality to the mechanical policeman’s actions, to where he’s not merely stopping crime, but acting as though within an urban war zone. It makes for blood-pumping action, but it carries an implicit critique of how violently he’s programmed to dispense with the citizens who violate his prime directives.
ED-209, on the other hand, represents one of the film’s other potent themes -- a misplaced faith in technology. The imposing, stop-motion animated automaton is also meant to be the next step in both war and policing. Despite that, its mistakes cost lives; it stumbles down a flight of stairs, and when felled, it kicks and cries almost like a baby. These images, alongside news blasts of defense satellites misfiring and Murphy himself breaking through his programming, evince sincere skepticism about technological solutions to human problems and warn of the costs of the missteps inherent in this nascent field.
But it’s that last one, the mortal face beneath the dehumanizing mask that Murphy finally removes, which becomes the cinch of the movie. So many of the film’s villains, from the executives jockeying for position on the corporate ladder to the amoral criminals they’re in league with, treat human life as though it doesn’t matter. The former in particular are a cutting caricature of Ronald Reagan’s America, touting public services turned into corporate money-making schemes.
These same, callous but well-dressed ghouls position Murphy to be their guinea pig, surreptitiously having him sign away his rights and become their property. The implication is that this is all part of a larger plot, one that involves funding thieves and murderers to conjure up a criminal crisis that big business can then step into solve, replete with a lucrative development they can use their mechanical goons to “clean out.” That privatization, driving out city services and the civil servants who deliver them, is framed as draining away the soul of Detroit.
But the mistake, in all of that byznantine plotting, was underestimating that ineffable human quality within those faux-optimized, thoroughly corporatized systems meant to serve stockholders and not the people. However much OCP aimed to stamp out Murphy’s humanity, it could not erase his trauma, his mourning of his family, and his desire to wreak vengeance on those who would inflict such a terrible curse on a man and on a community.
The film centers on that awakening and course correction. When Robocop removes that facemask, it symbolizes the reassertion of the fragile but determined human being behind it. When his partner, Lewis, physically recalibrates his targeting unit, it speaks to the necessity for that individual intervention in these mechanized processes. When he turns on his masters, he embodies the unpredictable elements of the human soul, which defy the sort of craven, heartless projects that Bob and Dick and even Clarence seek to impose. Murphy is their chickens coming home to roost and their sins crashing back down on them all at once, in Verhoeven’s characteristically brutal but bombastic tones.
That is the film’s central irony. Robocop is designed to root out corruption, to dispense justice dispassionately. OCP and its agents mean for that to be a quick extermination of whatever doesn’t serve their interests, fodder for more rent-seeking and smiling P.R. Instead, he inadvertently achieves exactly what he was designed to accomplish, wiping out the corruption that led to his creation, but only when that human passion reasserts itself, and the man within the machine is born again.
9/10 really enjoyable movie and well made.
It has the same grit and hardcore action as Terminator 1 and 2. '80s sci-fi action movies are built differently and I like this movie a lot it reminds me of T2 film in a lot of ways that's why even its my first time watching it this year.
Is it the best science Fiction film ever made? No. But is it the best capitalist satire ever made? Well, also no. But it is still a nearly flawless example of both and 80s Verhoeven might be my spirit animal.
I decided to revisit RoboCop after last watching it in over 14 years ago. According to my IMDB rating I gave it a 6/10 at the time. I'm glad I revisited it because I got a lot more out of RoboCop on this repeat viewing.
The special effects are fun! The melting scene and the interactions with ED-209 are awesome. I appreciate these historical special effects since we are so used to the clean CGI of modern films.
The satire is brilliant. RoboCop takes violence to absurd levels. It's got me thinking more than most movies I watch today.
One topic I've spent time on is zero-sum games. Certain populations have a world view that if a different group gets help, they lose. I've noted this more since BLM and it seems to make sense to me. This isn't a world view that I agree with and is doing humanity a great disservice. RoboCop brings this up with Jones delivering the recorded message to Morton:
"It helps if you think of it as a game Bob. Every game has a winner and a loser. I'm cashing you out, Bob."
The screenwriter, Edward Neumeier, identified this 35 years ago. There are other themes that echo to the world today. It's brilliant.
Plus, the movie is very quotable!
- I'd buy that for a dollar.
- Someone wanna call a goddamn paramedic?
Very cool, very brutal, the new face of the police. "Dead or alive, you're coming with me!"
I just saw Robocop and it's just awesome. It's the kind of hardcore 80's movie you wait to see in this days.
Pleasantly surprised by how great this film was. Compared to other 80s action flicks like Terminator, RoboCop is self-aware (pun intended) of it's silliness and regularly mocks the cinema styles it draws inspiration from. The social commentary on media is knee-deep but works perfectly amongst it's aesthetics, in a similar way to other films such as Network and Rollerball. My biggest gripe though were the fight sequences at the end which seemed to be included as if out of obligation and, aside from the comical toxic waste death, were too humourless and seemed like genuine attempts at imitation instead of the witty satire it had been until that point.
I haven't seen "Robocop" for probably 20 years. I remembered it being gory and futuristic and I recall really liking the Robocop creation. But while I guess I still like the movie it has not aged well. I like the chemistry between Peter Weller and Nancy Allen. The scene where Weller's Murphy is literally shot to pieces is still brutal today. Allen's Lewis character is not the typical heroine and the relationship she forms with Murphy is interesting in that it is not romantic but respectful. Unfortunately watching "Robocop" today takes a lot of patience to get through the wild-eyed killers in Boddicker's gang. They run around scream shoot everything in site and generally kiss Boddicker's ass. Robert Morton the manager of the Robocop project is a one-dimensional ladder climbing cliche. The scene in his apartment doing hookers and blow is so dumb. The downfall of the movie is that the bad guys are soooo bad that it's hard not to laugh at them.
The newscasts and commercials that were interspersed throughout the movie were a nice touch. They were a bit like those in "Starship Troopers" which makes sense as that is also a Verhoeven production. More than anything else the violence in "Robocop" is turned up to '11'. The 'kills' are graphic and the majority of them are horrific.
"Come quietly or there will be... trouble."
Corporate control punches itself in the face with this one, RoboCop takes care of business! The corruption is deep and the satire is sharp. Such a great concept and a classic for a reason. I couldn't help but compare it to Terminator and it's similar but I think RoboCop manages to distinguish itself.
They nailed the origin story, I did not expect that at all but it's quite violent and memorable. I wish we delved deeper into the character though, I feel like I barely knew Murphy. The villains are so steriotypical which is perfect for the satire angle but they're also funny.
The one-liners hit and there's a lot of silly moments I adore, like the staircase scene with ED-209 that was hilarious. ED-209 stole the show whenever it showed up, my favorite sequence is when it fights RoboCop the first time. Awesome stop-motion work from Phil Tippett. I didn't expect that much action but it deserves the action tag because the action sequences really stand out. Ultra violent kills.
Great camerawork... I believe I saw one of the weirdest camera angles in history. Who's idea was it to put a camera behind the legs of someone sitting on a toilet while focusing on two men in the urinal?? So weird and hilarious!
"Stay out of trouble."
"RoboCop" is a classic sci-fi action film from 1987 about a police officer who is transformed into a cyborg crime-fighting machine. It's got thrilling action, cool special effects, and a thought-provoking storyline about the relationship between man and machine. Definitely worth checking out if you love 80s sci-fi!
This is not as good as other Verhoeven movies for me even though it's widely considered as his best. The most comparable movie to this one is Starship Troopers and I think that is better. The movie has aged really well and is considered a far better movie now than when it was released. I'm not sure if this is because the satire is reality now.
I do think the movie is over-analyzed a bit especially with the bits of how the movies halves are mirrored perfectly. It is good screenplay and the signature Verhoeven gore, satire, commentary on military exists. It does have some of the most quotable lines I've ever heard.
I have very fond memories of RoboCop from when I was younger, but It has been forever since I have seen it. To me, he was always compared to Terminator but without the gritty darkness (which I prefer). Revisiting this one was quite nice because it truly stands on its own. Yes, Terminator is a good comparison, but this is a rock solid action flick!
Rating: 4/5 - 85% - Would Recommend
so many good lines.. like starship troopers if the aliens were cops
This movie is a bit dated, and the plot is also weak at times. But let's remember that it was the 1980s.
A police robot in an action movie with a message.
Not as bad as I expected but 20th on the list of sci-fi films of all time!? No way
:heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart: - This is one of the top-most 80s' action films I like to rewatch again and again
My rating system works:
10:heart:- Masterpiece :100:
9:heart:- Excellent
8:heart: - Amazing :ok_hand:
7:heart:- Great :sun_with_face:
6:heart: - Good :thumbsup:
5:heart: - Average :head_bandage:
4:heart: - Bad but watchable :octagonal_sign:
3:heart: - Bad :sob:
2:heart:- Awful :face_vomiting:
1:heart: - Bull Shit.
While I really like the cheesy, memorable one-liners in this, I’m not a fan of some of the cringy delivery. The performances generally seems a little all over the place; some actors seem to really understand the over the top satire angle, whereas some of the other acting feels more toned down. Still, the concept is great and that leads to a lot of fun set pieces and excellent social satire. It pulls no punches, in terms of violence and comedic edge they push it to a lot of interesting places. It’s that stuff that ultimately carries the movie for me, because I wouldn’t say characterization is among its strengths. Murphy needed much more development before he receives the suit (him being a good father makes him too one dimensional), because it’s much harder to connect emotionally once that happens. The side characters are also pretty flat and only used to deliver zingers. Technically the film’s pretty excellent. The suit still looks great and Verhoeven uses the camera interestingly, you can tell that John Favreau studied this film when he developed Iron Man. Maybe a little more contrast would’ve improved the film, and I think the film’s cyberpunk vibe would’ve benefited more from a more synth driven, Depeche Mode like score, but there’s always a clear vision coming through. Maybe it’s a little overrated within the 80s action movie canon, however I still enjoy watching it.
6.5/10
I miss the sort of Paul Verhoevenn violence we got from Robocop and Total Recall. They both had good stories too. With amazing musical scores. Robocop is pretty timeless since it is so well made. It really didn’t need a remake.
Biggest reason for me to watch this (during the 2022 Trakt Database Crash, no less) was to see Ronny Cox's first "villain" role. One can indeed see here the DNA of his later characters, like Senator Kinsey (Stargate SG-1). :ok_hand:
"I'd buy that for a dollar!"
Red Forman, I mean Kurtwood Smith will always be the best part of Robocop for me. He is so damn good. Alongside the brutal kills, action and the story is pretty good too.
Robocop is a damn entertaining action flick and a must see for any action movie guru. Paul Verhoeven really understood these kind of movies.
Anyway it might be time to finally watch the sequels. Don't know why I never watched them before. Hopefully they will be anywhere near this one and I'll be entertained!
Was there ever a more quotable movie than this one? Watched at the cinema today. I hadn't seen the film for 35 years yet remembered the precise intonation of all those gloriously delivered terrible lines.
I love everything about this movie, apart from most of the things I normally enjoy about movies. But I still love it.
It may have plot holes by modern standards, but remains a classic and still holds as a great film
GivNG. de5t
Whpell? ftg4
d7i8
Possibly one of the best comic book adaptations of the 1980s wasn't even based on a comic property. Although he didn't get involved with the franchise until the second and third installments, comic legend Frank Miller's influence is smeared all over the first Robocop. Borrowing a heavy handed anti-establishment vibe, nacho cheesy looked-better-on-paper dialog, enough gratuitous violence to make a Troma flick turn away in shock and stereotypical corporate bigwigs around every corner, I wouldn't be surprised to learn Miller had more than a passing investment in Paul Verhoeven's original futurist nightmare. Of course, it could also be that Miller's influence on the comic medium as a whole was responsible for many of these parallels.
Either way, it's a dream come true for fans of the dark, gritty graphic novels that made their mark in this era. Unfortunately, it’s also far from the most expertly crafted picture, with a carefree, cavalier attitude that seeps into the acting, cinematography, special effects and storyline. Arms are blown off just for the fun of it. Speeding automobiles barrel over evildoers in lieu of a more coherent way to write them out. Strongholds erupt into geysers of fire. As with Rambo before it, the lesson of the day is wanton brutality and the titular hero is your celebrated instructor.
Despite its immeasurable shortcomings as a motion picture, that blunt approach to both villain and viewer alike makes it tough to turn off. A night with Robocop is like eating an entire bag of candies in one sitting; there's more nourishing, appetizing stuff out there and we know it's wrong... but sometimes it's impossible to fight that compulsion.
RoboCop is a sci-fi exploitation film that took violence to a new level. When Detroit police officer Alex Murphy is killed in the line of duty, he gets transformed into RoboCop: a cyborg designed to be the ultimate weapon in law enforcement. Peter Weller gives an excellent performance; capturing the robotic motions of a cyborg, but conveying glimpses of humanity. And, Kurtwood Smith creates a compelling villain. The stop-motion effects are a little sloppy and haven’t aged well, but the gore and violence are still brutal and disturbing. Presenting a unique dystopian vision, RoboCop holds up as a sci-fi classic. “I’d buy that for a dollar!”
It's a solid 80s action flick. Some cool action and gross effects and cheesy dialogue. I kinda built it up in my head as something really great and I'm a little disappointed I didn't love it more. I'll probably have to see it again.
Last watched this when it came out and I was a small child. Too young probably. It's very violent. Those bad guys are pure evil. Good job. A lot of fun. It's the type of ludicrous idea that the only the 80s and 90s could have pulled off.
i had watched this when i was a kid. today i watched it again. as a 2016 movie it's 3/10. as a 1987 movie it's 8/10. but i give 10/10 because it remembers me my childhood. it was so good watching this movie with my dad and my bro who is a dad right now...
Law and order brought to you by a robot.
Although not a bad sci-fi action movie, it shows that the flick is over 20 years old. Especially the animations of the killer robots are very bad and somewhat kill the "sci-fi" setting of the movie... The plot itself is mediocre.
Shout by GreeneidalVIP 9BlockedParent2022-04-10T20:21:27Z
It's been a while since I have sat down to watch Verhoevens masterpiece, but when Arrow released a 4K release, I had no excuse not to upgrade my copy and get watching again. RoboCop is one of the absolute best action movies from the 80s, and I'm absolutely thrilled to be able to watch it in 4K. Great good guys, great bad guys, and some very brutal action. RoboCop has it all!! One of my absolute favourites from my childhood, and required watching for any action fan.