Title: Robocop
Rating: 4 Stars
Some months ago I wrote about Basic Instinct. I’ve decided to take a bit of time and dive into other Paul Verhoeven films. Specifically, I’m going to focus on his near future films: Robocop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers. Considering that all of these films are at least thirty years old, I’m interested in determining how prescient these films were.
I started with Robocop, the oldest (1987) of the three. Set in the near future, Detroit is a dystopian mess. Cops, feeling neglected, plan to go on strike. Violence is rampant. Into this chaos steps the mega corporation OCP (Omni Consumer Products). The city grants OCP control over the Detroit police force. OCP has plans to build a brand new city named Delta City on the site of decrepit Detroit. However, to do so, it must bring the crime rate down.
As a solution to the crime problem, OCP starts the Robocop program. It’s a cyborg that’s a combination of human and machine. When police officer Murphy is brutally shot down, they have their prototype candidate. Murphy’s consciousness is apparently removed and his body is fused with robotic technology to become Robocop. At first, he achieves great success in stopping crime. Over time, Murphy’s consciousness awakens, providing him glimpses of his previous life, which gives him great cognitive dissonance. At the same time, an OCP executive reveals his evil plans by teaming up with the same criminals that shot down Murphy. Robocop must take on both the criminal gang and the OCP executive.
I saw this film in 1987 in a theater. I went with my best friend at the time. We were thrilled with the action, shocked by the violence, and laughed at the silliness. There’s a good chance that Verhoeven would have been disheartened by our response.
Thirty-five years later, it’s clearly much more than that, and yes, it seems prescient. To accommodate a greatly diminished attention span, news is broadcast in three minute increments. Even tragic news has no depth and is read by news readers with bright voices and dead eyes.
Verhoeven was apparently fascinated by American’s love of violence. Therefore, the violence in Robocop is comically over the top. Murphy is riddled with bullets. His hand is blown off and and he suffers grievous wounds all over his body. A shoot out at a drug warehouse is an orgy of bullets and violence. The criminal gang acquire comically (again!) large weapons that they can barely hold. Interesting that all of these years later, the violence is really not all that more graphic than a typical R rated action film.
Where Verhoeven really hits the mark is the relationship between OCP and the police force. In our post 9/11 world, police departments are provided with all kinds of military grade technology and weaponry. What modern police force doesn’t need an armored vehicle? Apparently, some police departments even have grenade launchers. Having lived in the downtown of a large city, I can personally attest to the fact that the police nowadays look and act more like soldiers than peace officers. I have little doubt that if the Robocop program was a real thing, that there’d be police departments lined up out the door to get their own.
OCP has the hallmarks of being a fascist organization. The CEO, who everyone calls The Old Man, is lionized. At the board room meeting, applause is as scripted as at a politburo meeting. Caring nothing about the actual problems facing Detroit, OCP is only interested in doing whatever it needs to do to maximize its own profits. The intersection of military, corporate priorities, and police in Robocop is pretty much the world that we live in today.
Verhoeven is also making a statement about the future of technology and its possible impact on humanity. Murphy is struggling to regain the humanity that was stolen from him by OCP. In my opinion, this was the weakest part of the film. Murphy’s struggles were done in a heavy handed manner that didn’t really strike a chord with me.
Despite that, it’s dark humor, prescience, and social commentary make Robocop a decided cut above the typical action film, especially for its time. Robocop proved to be such a success that multiple sequels, a reboot, television series, animated series, video games, comic books, and even a pinball game were created.
I am not familiar with them, but I’m guessing most lack the humor and social commentary that makes Robocop such a great film.
dorkenstein 