“Robocop” is a movie struggling from an identity crisis. On one hand, director Jose Padilha’s reboot of the 1987 sci-fi film presents itself as obvious commentary about today’s society, where drone warfare is at the forefront of military issues. On the other hand, Padilha tries to breathe fresh life into the franchise by focusing on “Robocop’s” origin.
One could say “Robocop” succeeds more as the former than the latter, but even then the film isn’t focused enough to be effective. While there are a few redeeming elements to “Robocop,” there are plenty other movies to spend your money on.
Set in the near future, “Robocop”’s commentary on the morality of military drone use comes almost exclusively from Samuel L. Jackson’s character Pat Novak, a television show host who supports domestic drone use instead of human peacekeepers. He energetically points out the effectiveness of robotic soldiers overseas, and argues why that should be the case stateside.
Novak is obviously designed as social commentary, as he literally looks the audience in the eye and talks about the pros of drone use. These meta-segments feel detached from the rest of the film, even when Robocop’s actions become Novak’s conversation topic. Scriptwriters Joshua Zetumer and Edward Neumeier are perhaps at fault here for not effectively focusing on social commentary as one of “Robocop’s” major themes, choosing instead to only partially dedicate time and energy to the issue.
As an action movie reboot, “Robocop” leaves much to be desired. Joel Kinnaman is not convincing as Alex Murphy, the police officer who eventually becomes the titular character. Kinnaman’s most convincing scenes are when he is supposed to be emotionless, which doesn’t bode well for his acting abilities. Even when he finds out he is almost all machine in one of the movie’s most chilling scenes, Kinnaman’s reaction isn’t convincing, considering the weight of the moment. Abbie Cornish as Clara, Murphy’s wife, also doesn’t bring her A-game, and the chemistry and complex emotions Alex and Clara are supposed to emote don’t translate well on screen.
The movie’s strongest cast member is Gary Oldman as Dr. Dennett Norton, the scientist who creates Robocop. Oldman is as versatile and impressive as always, and his emotional weight toward his technological creation gives “Robocop” its emotional center. Like Kinnaman and Cornish, however, cast members Michael Keaton, Jackie Earle Haley and Jay Baruchel deliver average performances, causing “Robocop” to lose what little momentum it had.
The visuals in “Robocop” feel average as well. While there are some extended actions scenes that are shot well, the visual effects seem somewhat blurry throughout the film. Everything from Murphy’s robotic appendages, to explosions and drone models feel rushed, lacking the prerequisite polish on which action blockbusters depend. Like its casting and story structure, the film’s visuals suffer from lower-than-desired production values.
Overall, “Robocop” will most likely not please fans of Peter Weller’s classic hit, as its unfocused script and largely weak casting prove too detrimental to be thoroughly enjoyable. Not even Oldman’s exceptional performance is enough to save his movie from mediocrity. Perhaps if Padilha had decided whether or not to focus solely on social commentary or rebooting the franchise would “Robocop” have turned out enjoyable. As it is, “Robocop” is a movie that should be saved for DVD, as it is not quite worth the price of admission.