Summary
RoboCopfirst graced movie screens with the 1987 film of the same name, directed by Paul Verhoeven. The film succeeded with critics and audiences, garnering the financial returns to warrant sequels.RoboCop 2(1990) andRoboCop 3(1993) were maligned follow-ups whose diminishing returns saw the film franchise end for a time. However, the character would thrive in other media.
RoboCopwas adapted into comic books, where he carried his own stories and even fought other screen icons like the Terminator. There was a 1994RoboCopTV series, which smartly ignored the sequels, still working as a loose continuation of the film. Still, it was geared toward younger audiences, toning down the violence and delivering a lackluster outing. There was also theRoboCop: Prime Directivesminiseries from 2001, which saw mixed results. The character wasn’t featured in another movie untilRoboCop2014, a remake of the first film’s story from the ground up. It didn’t fare well among fans, never continuing past the first film.
However, the character has proven popular, nearly landing a movie from director Neill Blomkamp calledRoboCop Returns, which would have been a legacy sequel. Despite that project being put on ice, thevideo gameRoboCop: Rogue Cityhas seen the character surge with gamers who got another taste of what the original film offered to audiences.Now, Amazon wants to reviveRoboCopwith a new series, but their revival needs to avoid the same mistake that doomed the 2014 reboot.
RoboCopWas A Violent Commentary On Society Rife With Dark Satire
Many look at the 1987RoboCopfilm and make snap judgments about it. It looks like an overly violent science fiction film, lacking substance beyond bombastic entertainment. That cursory review doesn’t capture the true essence of what is embedded in the movie, as it offers a commentary via its use of violence and portrayal of class structures.RoboCophas a lot to say with the imagery it chooses to show audiences. (In this sense, it’s much like Verhoeven’s other misunderstood sci-fi film,Starship Troopers, which used fascist imagery in a commentary on militarism and political ideologies but was interpreted as an alien action movie.)
RoboCopprotagonist Alex Murphy dies very early in the film, seeing himturned into the titular RoboCop. His death scene is so violent that it could even feel laughable, making viewers either chuckle at its absurdity or become thrilled by the gory dismemberment. However, that’s precisely what Verhoeven wanted, because it’s satire in its most basic form. Satire often uses exaggeration to expose and criticize contemporary issues. That’s exactly what Murphy’s unnecessarily gory death establishes, showing viewers that excessive violence wasn’t meant to be enjoyed, permeating the sentiment throughout its runtime.
RoboCopalso imparted commentary beyond extraneous violence, as many of its themes were geared toward elucidating significant problems for society as a whole. The main villain of the film is set up as Clarence Boddicker, whose gang activity is plaguing the city. But the true villain is revealed to be Omni Consumer Products and their Senior President, Dick Jones, asRoboCophighlights the evils of corporate greedand unchecked power wielded in boardrooms. Furthermore, it shows how corporate dominance has caused the downfall of society, as the city’s citizens live in a nightmarish dystopia.
Some may choose to appreciateRoboCopas a simple action film. Still, the commentary goes as deep as game shows on TVs in the background around the city, highlighting media influence on the masses and showing Verhoeven’s intended vision even in the minor details.
The 2014RoboCopReboot Took Itself Too Seriously
Any time a beloved property is set for a reboot or remake, fans are often more worried than excited, knowing the characters and concepts they adore may lose what made them stand out in the first place. That’s what happened whenRoboCopreceived the remake treatment in 2014. The remake filled out its cast and crew with reputable talent. José Padilha, who had garnered attention for his Brazilian action filmsElite SquadandElite Squad 2: The Enemy Within, signed on to direct. The cast included Joel Kinnaman as Alex Murphy, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, and Samuel L. Jackson. However, they chose to take the film in the one direction it shouldn’t have gone.
The2014 remake ofRoboCopplayed up the horrors of Murphy’s situation, allowing the film to focus on his struggle to reconcile his humanity and robotic form. While there were emotional stakes to the character, the remake stepped away from the over-the-top violence, toning things down for a PG-13 rating. This may have been forgivable if they also hadn’t sacrificed the connective commentary within it.
The movie took itself too seriously, being far more concerned with making an action movie than allowing the commentary and dark satire of the 1987 original to thrive in new ways. Rather than attempting to update the film’s underlying themes by skewering contemporary mores, it failed, delivering generic sci-fi action. MostRoboCopfans outright rejected this approach, making for lackluster domestic returns at the box office. It became the movie that most audiences misunderstood 1987’sRoboCopto be, proving they missed everything that made it special.
Amazon’sRoboCopSeries Needs To Embrace More Than Aesthetics
James Wan, director ofThe ConjuringandSaw, is acting as an executive producer for Amazon’sRobocopseries, and Amazon has setMoonhavencreator Peter Ocko as showrunner. However, the critically pannedRoboCop 2was directed by Irvin Kershner, director ofThe Empire Strikes Back, so even talented creatives don’t guarantee success. Still,Varietyprovided a synopsis for the series, which reads like it intends to stick true toRoboCop’sroots:
A giant tech conglomerate collaborates with the local police department to introduce a technologically advanced enforcer to combat rising crime — a police officer who’s part man, part machine.
With the positive response toRoboCop: Rogue City,and the failure of the 2014 remake, it is clear what works for the franchise. Fans want to see the character and world thriving on proper commentary, making satirical jabs at societal shortcomings, and examining what it means to be human. It could even benefit the show to go in thedirection of a legacy sequel, much like Blomkamp’sRoboCop Returnswas meant to be, ignoring the sequels and getting back to what made the 1987 film work. Other franchises, such asHalloween, have successfully made similar moves. While plans for Amazon’sRoboCopseries are under wraps, the character’s representation remains to be seen. Still, the creators must avoid the franchise’s past mistakes, leaning into what has proven to connect with audiences.
