Visually attractive

Twenty-seven years ago director Paul Verhoeven made something brilliantly funny and scary with a futuristic tale that was years ahead of its time, RoboCop! Question is, is remaking a movie that fans think flawless ever successful?

I was never a major diehard fan of the original RoboCop, but I can always appreciate a good movie, so when I heard the remake was released, I was curious to see what Brazilian fimmaker Jose Padilha would do with it.

Hollywood has suffered from a creativity crisis for quite some time now and I cannot think of a remake or reboot in recent years that I have approved of. It goes without saying, Hollywood has totally exploited the idea of nostalgia.

Yet, I gave RoboCop a go and was not completely disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t hold a candle to the original, but it does have its pleasures.

The 2014 version gives viewers a taste into what the modern, stylised and new vision would achieve, especially with today’s advanced technology offerings and computer effects … give it a few months though, and people will forget this reboot even existed.

 It has no laughs, no iconic gun holster and most importantly, not enough gore … PG 13, really? Robocop needs to be ultraviolent; otherwise it’s just boring!

The original script’s sting and wit made it a classic. It was more than just an action flick. Yes, it was the story of a man who died and was melded into a machine, but it had its catchphrases (I’d buy that for a dollar), it was funny (my friends call me Murphy, you call me Robocop) and it didn’t focus on a sappy love story to pull in its viewers. Verhoeven used his cruel and gory directing style that played with the action the way RoboCop fans like it, bloody!

Like the original, it focuses on a Detroit police detective who is badly injured in an attack meant to kill him. Because of the rating, the details of his injury have changed and rather than repeating the gruesome mutilation seen in the 1987 version, Detective Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) gets severely injured in a car bombing that was meant to kill him, but, he wakes up to find he is alive and is a guinea pig in an experiment.

 Set in the near future, America has banned the use of robots as peacekeepers. However, OmniCorp CEO Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton) who develops groundbreaking cybernetic implants for amputees and suits that enhance human strength and speed along with TV personality Pat Novak (Samuel L Jackson) believe that robotic soldiers are the best way to keep America safe and save lives. Yet, politicians like Senator Dreyfuss (Zach Grenier) argue that a robot can’t distinguish between right and wrong.

Murphy becomes the bridge in this debate. Using modern-day technology, Detective Murphy is rebuilt as RoboCop under Dr Dennett Norton’s (Gary Oldman) wing.

Murphy, now as a robot, begins to take control of the system and tries to reconnect with his wife Clara (Abbie Cornish) and their son, while also trying to solve his own attempted murder.

Kinnaman is known for his role on the TV series, The Killing. He proves to be a versatile actor, showing he can go from ‘ladies man’ to the serious and law-abiding Robocop. Unfortunately, he isn’t an iconic Murphy like Peter Weller. However, he is believable and has many genuine moments throughout the film. He shows the perfect blend of machine and man and tries hard to bring in some humorous moments that play homage to the original.

The original Murphy was more robotic, with his face as the only organic part of his body left after he died. The new Murphy never died, he is agile but left paralysed without a suit. He jumps, runs and leaps into the air, in an all-new black shiny suit! Kinnaman shows he has the energy to do this and is probably going to be the new superhero kids will love.

The use of A list actors for the supporting cast is one of the pleasures of the movie.  Performances by Keaton, Oldman, Jackson, Jennifer Ehle, Jackie Earl Haley, and Jay Baruchel, made the movie that much more interesting and exciting to watch.

The effects in this movie are brilliant! If there’s one thing the 2014 version has an upper hand on, it’s the computer-generated imagery. It’s shot well and is visually attractive for everyone, regardless if you’re a fan or not. The quick pace and the short running time ultimately make up for the lack of gore.

In conclusion, the majority of viewers, aged between 10 and 15, will love this movie. But once they hit the age of 18 and sneak a peak at the original, they’ll realise there is no comparison!

* Showing in Cineco, Al Jazeera Cineplex, Seef I, Saar Cineplex