RoboCop (1987) User Reviews

So close to today's society, it hurts

[gorankostanski · 8/10 · 5 June 2013]

When I look at the modern day West, and the 2008 financial crisis, I often see parallels with images from RoboCop: protests, mind-numbing commercials, crime as the result of huge poverty, profit as the main goal of life, no matter at what (or whose) expense. There is not one OCP today, but dozens of OCPs, huge modern mega-corporations that influence every aspect of the society and drain it of its wealth. Just like in RoboCop, the middle class is almost gone and we only have the poor and the rich.

RoboCop started out as a pure B-movie, but unlike Cyborg (1989) or The Six Million Dolar Man (1974), it kept its relevance, satire and sharpness precisely because it is so close to today that it hurts. Even as a kid, I somehow got that one of the messages of the film was how the power was slowly shifting from the government to the OCP. Let's be fair, though, Verhoeven sometimes directs a scene in a heavy, clumsy manner, and some cheap ideas slightly reduce my enjoyment whenever I re-watch this. Overall, this is still a strong film, and I stand behind what I say. Kurtwood Smith is one of the most fiendish villains of the 80s, and one of the most unorthodox ones, too, with those glasses, but we must also mention Peter Weller who is often overlooked under that armor, yet his stoic presence tells us everything we need to know. His Murphy is a character designed by the corporations, a being that is a product, not a being anymore. The way he finds his humanity, nonetheless, is still powerful. He defies the system, he defies the cold exploitation - and he becomes worthy to become recognized. And the ED-something-something robot is still cool as ever, too.

Put down your weapons...

[Peach-2 · 9/10 · 4 July 1999]

Robocop is an unbelieveable experience. I haven't watched the film since 1988 and the other day I recieved it on DVD. So I eagerly popped it in the player and BOOM!!! The only way I can describe Robocop is ultraviolence. The film is so over the top and out of control. The film speaks of a future where big companies will run the governmental defense. Those times are upon us more and more everyday. Paul Verhoeven has made one of the most important science fiction films ever made and it's a brillant piece of cinema.

Underrated, Misunderstood, Ingenious

[Break · 10/10 · 14 June 2003]

It's a shame that this movie is usually snubbed by shoving it into the "action" category. Sure, there are lot of legendary action sequences to be found, but RoboCop is a LOT more than that.

Next time when you watch it, try to shift your focus from the cyborgs, explosions and gore towards the writing. From the main theme of criticizing the modern money driven society (a topic still relevant today, and will most likely be so in the future as well) all the way to the smallest bits of dialogue, the writing is nothing short of outstanding. RoboCop is simply the most intelligent "action" film to come out of Hollywood, ever. Unfortunately, the cleverness is hidden "between the lines" of comic book action. No wonder so many people fail to see this film for what it really is.

Amazing cinematography, solid performances (especially from Kurtwood Smith and Miguel Ferrer), memorable musical score.. The list is endless. Granted, the stop motion effects of ED-209 look quite old today, but you have to remember we're talking about a movie made in 1987. RoboCop has its faults, like the rather embarrassing toxic waste scene, but they are easily forgiven compared to all the good things.

You must be thinking "What is this guy on? It's just a dumb little action flick about a cyborg!" .. Relax, take a deep breath and watch it again. I like obscure art films as much as the next guy, but I'm not going to dismiss such greatness just because it comes wrapped in cartoon violence. I'm not saying RoboCop is art, the best movie ever made or the most important film of the year/decade/millennium. But it definitely deserves to be regarded higher.

My only question is: How could Verhoeven succeed so well with this movie, and fail miserably in ALL other Hollywood titles he has worked on?

A brilliant mix of science fiction, action and satire that has yet to be topped.

[Infofreak · 27 March 2003]

Paul Verhoeven's career in recent years has been wildly uneven, but back in the 1980s he rocked! His movies 'Spetters', 'The Fourth Man' and 'Flesh & Blood' are all brilliant and worth tracking down. His next movie, his first Hollywood one, could have been a complete disaster. Verhoeven initially passed on it without reading the script and wasn't experienced in working with special effects or a fan of science fiction. Thankfully his wife insisted he make the picture and the end result was a triumph. Apparently this was a very tough shoot for all concerned but the bottom line is what is on screen, and it really works. Few movies if any have managed to juggle SF, action and grim satire in such an entertaining and original fashion. Verhoeven was blessed with an excellent script, a well chosen bunch of actors, and a great behind the scenes team, and added to his own vision 'RoboCop' turned out to be one of the best movies of the 1980s, whatever the genre. Peter Weller ('Buckaroo Banzai') pulls off a difficult job - making the audience care about a guy in a monster suit. Probably the best performance of its kind since Boris Karloff in James Whale's 'Frankenstein' back in the 1930s. Nancy Allen ('Dressed To Kill'), Kurtwood Smith ('12.01 PM'), Ronny Cox ('Deliverance'), Miguel Ferrer ('Twin Peaks'), and the rest of the supporting cast are all first rate, and everything about this movie is perfect. Verhoeven stumbled with his next movie 'Total Recall', and apart from 'Starship Troopers' has pretty much failed to fulfill his potential, but 'RoboCop' remains a classic SF/action movie and a fantastic way to end a great decade of work.

A classic one of the best action films one of my all time favorites

[ivo-cobra8 · 10/10 · 1 April 2017]

RoboCop (1987) is the finest cyberpunk action movie one of my favorite films of all time. I grew up with this movie, it has a special place in my heart and I love it to death. Here you have everything: brilliant story, good actors, stunts, puppetry, models, and good Special Effects. This is Paul Verhoeven and Peter Weller's best movie from the 80's they ever made. I used to had this movie on VHS but over the years the tape was eaten from VHS recorder so that I couldn't watch the movie properly anymore. 3 years earlier I got this movie on Blu-ray Unrated director's cut and my Blu-ray player scratched and eat the Blu-ray disc so I purchased the director's cut again on Blu-ray and I was blown away with the movie how good it is.

RoboCop it's not an action in the film itself, that makes this be the case. This is especially odd in a movie with a $50 million budget (in 1987!), with multiple huge explosions, with hundreds of bullets fired, and scores of stuntmen used. 30 year's anniversary is coming in July since the movie was released and it is a shame that Miguel Ferrer aka Bob Morton died this year in January R.I.P. we miss you. This movie is what it is, a perfect 10, because it takes the vision of one of the most imaginative directors on Earth, and realizes them almost perfectly with all the tools that fit the task.

The movie it self has heart and soul in it, the fact is you have a human being who loses his humanity and it brought back to life, he is resurrected and he is a superhuman super cop who once again regains his humanity and his trouble been robot and human. When Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) takes off his helmet we see a sad mourning man who lost everything. I felt really sorry for Alex who was shot and killed I was really moved and sad by his death who lost his family.

Peter Weller stars in the film as Alex Murphy, a Detroit police officer who after being gunned down by a vicious gang, is resurrected by a mega-corporation as the cybernetic law enforcement officer of the future. As he begins his new life as "RoboCop", Murphy starts to regain a bit of his humanity with the help of his former partner Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen). The popularity of the RoboCop character would spawn a RoboCop franchise consisting of, among other media, two more feature films, a 1994 live-action series, two animated television series, a four-part movie miniseries as well as a 2014 remake.

Actors Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith and Miguel Ferrer do all job well and they deliver the movie as an entertaining action flick.

I love the puppetry of droid ED-209 who has a lot of fire power and the costume and the suit for RoboCop was beautiful designed. Themes that make up the basis of RoboCop include media influence, gentrification, corruption, authoritarianism, greed, privatization, capitalism, identity, dystopia, and human nature. It is an rated R action film and I wish there would be movies like this today. I love the Music score by Basil Poledouris which it is my favorite score and it is a classic orchestra.

The stunts are completely insane in scale (we have a lot of glass scenes like Ed-209 fires cannon guns on Robo and he flies trough glass door. Robo fires his gun on Dick (Ronnie Cox) and he flies trough window.) Robo punches a terrorist in mayor's office and he falls from the window. Of course, this wouldn't be an action movie without some action. There's plenty of it, and it's perfectly done. The gunplay is delivered in perfect Verhoeven style (as opposed to the slo-mo John Woo-style) -- you'll see lots of heavy automatic, shotguns and explosive cannon weapons, and you'll see them used well. The film is violent, and bloody with real blood squibs.

It is also up to the script to deliver the real substance of the movie. (One often sees great performances in mediocre films... here the story transcends the performances -- an impressive feat.) The script delivers. The film is absolutely filled with great, classic moments (I counted TEN all-star ones during my last viewing), and they're evenly spaced through the movie.

I love how RoboCop prevents two armed robberies, a rape which he shoots the rapist in the dick, he bust a drug factory on by him self, he stops and punches a terrorist and saves the hostages in the mayor office, he stops a violent gang by himself and he stops a corrupt business man.

Best scene: ED-209 moves its right gun-arm cannon on RoboCop (Peter Weller) but Robo grabs it and shoves it away just before ED fires. ED continues firing as Robo shoves the gun towards ED's left gun-arm, destroying it. ED-209 fires one of its missiles at RoboCop. The missiles were actual rockets guided with wires.

RoboCop is a 1987 American cyberpunk action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Kurtwood Smith, Miguel Ferrer, and Ronny Cox.

RoboCop (1987) is a classic one of the best action films my all time favorite action films of mine that defines my childhood. This movie has a heart, and that you cannot deny. Plus, it simply rocks. 10/10

Brutal but satisfying

[moonspinner55 · 7/10 · 2 August 2002]

Detroit is under siege by a corrupt CEO in the police department...also by rapists, robbers, and the group of thugs who murdered Officer Murphy. Murphy (flawlessly played by Peter Weller) was a family man with a big heart whose body is eventually 'saved' by tech-geniuses, transforming him into a robot-cop (with a big heart, natch). The violence in the film is incredibly brutal in the manner of "Death Wish", yet it can almost be overlooked--even deemed necessary--in the context of the plot. Weller exudes sensitivity (not easy to do under that coat of armor), and he's matched very well by Ronny Cox (delightfully sinister and sniveling) and spunky Nancy Allen (in her best performance). A bleak vision of the future, though one which offers hope underneath its chestplate of destruction. Followed by "RoboCop 2" in 1990, "RoboCop 3" in 1993, and a television series in 1994. ***1/2 from ****

Surprisingly Human

[the50xbomb · 7/10 · 17 August 2022]

My favorite Paul Verhoeven feature by a mile. It's a decent film if you like action but everything around it makes Robocop a different film in the genre. It's a movie that's blatant and upfront about its story but depending on who you are you can interpret it in different ways. It could be about public funding, gentrification, humanism, or just a dude who goes around shooting drug dealers. But what I really like about it is even though it's a movie that might seem fascistic on the surface it surprisingly doesn't punch down, at least not like films of the era that were just military propaganda. I know not everything I'm mentioning is an intentional decision on the writer's part, and to be honest I never thought the action was that great (except during the end), but my main point is this movie deserves more thought IF you're a fan of the genre.

80s Classic That Didn't Need Remaking

[Theo Robertson · 8/10 · 8 February 2014]

In a crime ridden Detroit of the near future a corporate company OCP has the answer to fighting crime - invent a new type of policeman who won't go on strike . After the death of a policeman called Murphy they stick his body in to a metal shell . Murphy however can still remember a time when he was human

I once did an evening film course called Talking Pictures which would involve watching a film then having a two hour group discussion on the film . I saw the filmography before the class started and the vast majority would be art house foreign cinema . The one exception was ROBOCOP and I knew instantly this was the one that was going to split the group right down the middle in to love it or hate it with no in between . True to form this how things worked out . Most the class despised it wondering why the class had to watch such a cartoonish commercial film . I however did state I loved it and considered it to be the third best SF movie of the 1980s behind THE TERMINATOR and ALIENS

What makes ROBOCOP such a cerebral enjoyable film is the uncommon mix of social satire and no holds barred Verhoeven excess . While " greed is good " to a certain extent the idea of corporate capitalism is something to be rejected . A small self elected clique ruling over the Universe in order to maximise profits is a bad mix of capitalism meets self serving communism . Not so much a mixed economic system but more a combination of greedy speculators from one system being merged with the unthinking party loyalty of the other system . It's greed for money plus greed for power which is a marriage made in hell and being dead isn't enough to make you escape the clutches of OCP and the film revolves around the human element of Murphy remembering who he once was and it's this that is at the core of the movie

Of course Verhoeven isn't a director who does sentimental mawkish stuff and I doubt if the audience was wanting to see a Walt Disney film . What they were wanting to see was bad things happen to very bad people and you can't help cheering as criminals get killed , maimed , mutilated and in one case melted . It's a violent film but one that is so cartoonish that the violence is not to be taken seriously , a fact reflected in the loud slightly unrealistic acting style . This attitude wasn't enough to stop its British network premiere on ITV becoming farcical with a TV version being broadcast with notorious lines like " you gonna be a bad mother crusher " along with key scenes like the ones with mister melty conspicuous by their absence

There is of course a new version of ROBOCOP hitting the cinema this week but is a film I have no interest in watching judging by the clips I've seen of it . It's strange to think that another Verhoeven classic TOTAL RECALL was also recently remade . As it stands the original ROBOCOP remains one of the greatest genre films from the 1980s containing wit , satire and enjoyably mean carnage

Fun 80s icon

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 14 February 2014]

In a dystopia future, crime ridden Detroit is being protected by a police force run by Omni Consumer Products. Omni is looking to replace inner city Detroit with Delta City. They want to clean up the crime with new robotic cops. When the latest robot ED 209 malfunctions, they need RoboCop as the backup plan. Officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is new in the dangerous precinct, and he's paired up with the rough Officer Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen). In a wild chase with master criminal Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith), Alex is captured and seriously tortured. When he dies, Omni takes ownership of his body to create RoboCop.

This is great 80s sci-fi action. It is fun. The FX is good for the 80s. The cheese factor is high, but it's never ridiculous. RoboCop looks super cool. I wish they had better CGI back then, and better production value. Sometimes the action looks light. The production design lacks imagination with the exception of RoboCop and ED 209. There are good fun actors especially Miguel Ferrer and Ronny Cox. Miguel is great as the sleazy corporate climber. The story has just enough dark social commentary.

Original movie, but unpleasant to watch.

[eldergod-1 · 5/10 · 9 February 2005]

The first movie of the popular "RoboCop" series is considered to be the best of them and a masterpiece of science fiction. While it is really original and has strong message, it is too gory (and I say this being a horror-fan), chaotic and unpleasant to watch. The main character, RoboCop is very interesting and the villain is really ghastly and memorable, but the bad robot looks very stupid and the film is full with scenes of sadistic violence, which made it tough to watch. Unlike the sequels, the first RoboCop is considered to be a "serious scifi", but it's neither good nor as enjoyable as the best movie in the cyborg genre - The Terminator.

Classic science fiction film full of excess, humour and satire

[bob the moo · 4 February 2002]

In a futurist Detroit, crime is high and the police are run by a massive private company, keener to reduce running costs than reduce crime. When their new police robot ED209 develops a glitch, they turn to a prototype that blends human tissue with high-tech circuitry. Meanwhile Police officer Murphy and his partner Lewis are out gunned by criminals leaving Murphy mortally wounded. OCP take Murphy's body and use it to make Robocop. However Robocop is so successful that he is targeted by criminal Boddicker. Boddicker turns to his shadowy partners in crime, while Robocop struggles to deal with human memories and a programming system that seems designed to control him and keep him in the dark.

Verhoeven's first US film was to set the mould for how the rest of his career would pan out - extreme violence and very little idea of restraint. However this is one of his best films and has much in common with one of his other best (Starship Troopers) - ultra-violence, funny black humour, great action and tonnes of satirical digs at modern life. Here the plot revolves around the creation of Robocop and his fight against crime that goes right to the top. This is complimented by the sub-plot of him trying to rediscover his human side. This is full of great action scenes and eccentric villains.

The black comedy is funny, although sometimes you feel bad laughing at so much violence, but the sideswipes are the best. Verhoeven takes digs at TV with his advert filled news broadcasts, at privatisation by showing the crumbling police stations and the huge corporate towers and at heroism by showing Robocop creating just as much mayhem and destruction as the criminals he pursues. His strength however is the action scenes and the sense of tension he creates - I'll don't think anyone can forget the sheer terror of ED209's `glitch'.

Weller is good - cast because of his strong jaw and ability to project emotion through a suit of armour - and he does manage to bring out the human side. Allen is good but a but dry. The real support comes from the eccentric, and well known villains and corporate bosses. Ronny Cox, Smith, Ray Wise, Perry, O'Herlihy and Miguel Ferrer are all great in various capacities. Criminal or greedy corporate leader - it's hard to tell which is which at times.

A classic bit of sci-fi. Verhoeven has sadly not had a moment as fine as this since and has recently had problems being excessive in Hollywood - the land of excess! This is a landmark film that may not be to everyone's taste.

Cracking Futuristic Action

[mjw2305 · 8/10 · 29 January 2005]

Robocop, born of technology is a cyborg, half man/half machine. The future of Law enforcement is here, and he's kicking ass.

Alex Murphy was the unfortunate candidate chosen to be robocop after he was brutally massacred by a gang of scumbag criminals. And the robocop program was brought in, after the E.D. 209 (An all robot killing machine) proto-type failed so disastrously.

Alex Murphy, now Robocop is effectively dead, but he still has a memory, and sets out on a quest to avenge his own Death, by finding the scumbags responsible.

With some quite horrific violence (E.D. 209 and Murphy scenes mainly) and some brilliant action, Robocop is character that you will warm to, as he fights crime on a personal level.

Solid entertainment 8/10

To this day, STILL one of the best movies ever made

[scheuerman · 10/10 · 11 October 2018]

Has an excellent soundtrack, plenty of gore, and a twisted sense of humor that suits my personality quite well.

I first saw this when I was 5 years old when I snuck the VHS tape from my brother when my mother was at work, and I've watched it over and over countless times in the last 30 something years, each time finding something new to love about it. Peter Weller is simply fantastic, and most assuredly I'd buy that for a dollar!

If you haven't already seen it: Please buy this movie, you have 20 seconds to comply!

It still holds up.

[gumperman · 7/10 · 24 February 2014]

Although it was surprisingly better than I expected, having never seen it before, I only watched this because I really liked the new version and wanted to compare the two. First I'll say, the Robo costume was pretty good for an 80's style sci-fi / action film, but the newer one is so much more sleek and mechanical looking. The story to this film is a lot better than I expected, but a lot of scenes were cheesily filmed and acted that I couldn't take most of it seriously. It was entertaining for the most part, although very violent, and still holds up today. This would have probably been one of my favorite films had I seen it in 1987, but seeing this after the impressive newer version, it doesn't quite compare to me. I know that a lot of people will disagree with me and this won't be a popular review, but it is a honest review and my own opinion. Cheers!

A classic that reminds us why 80s movies rock so hard

[Mcduff3601 · 10/10 · 24 May 2023]

I rewatch this movie every couple years. I am a huge fan of sci Fi and a really huge fan of GOOD sci Fi. This is what I would consider GREAT sci Fi.

It has the perfect blend of being pretty cheesy, funny, gory and serious all at the same time. This movie comes from an era where they made movies because they had a story to tell and they had the freedom to tell it.

Most of the special effects still look great even in 2023. There are some exceptions but they are so brief and for me add to the campiness that makes this a fun movie to watch.

I forgot how gory some parts are and I am not a fan of gore but it works well in the scenes it's used in and it's practical so it looks pretty good.

This is a different take on the western gunslinger that comes into town to clean things up. They also did a fantastic job of building up the bad guy so you really feel invested when the hero goes to to toe with them.

Great movie would recommend to anyone wanting an action movie or a good sci Fi movie.

Incredibly ahead of its time

[timurtaimur · 10/10 · 7 December 2021]

Paul Verhoeven was meticulously particular about how he created this movie. From practical effects, intense character building to intrusive shadowing of the lead's emotions.

Robocop could be taken as a few different genres. But mostly, this movie is a psychological revenge thriller. It bundles much more into it without forcing narrative and/or messaging.

Much of what is in this movie has come to fruition. It simply predicted our future and an unquenchable addiction to technology, looking to it to resolve issues within society with a debilitating conclusion.

Overall, RoboCop involves several key elements for an action-sci-fi including incredible pyrotechnics and practical effects, applause worthy acting, unrivalled character building and most of all - a story yet to be dismounted.

RoboCop is a movie with something to offer everyone.

You gotta love the Dutch when it comes to directing.

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 30 September 2005]

"RoboCop" is the sort of movie that seems like it would be more than idiotic if you only hear about it once. But it turns out to actually be quite good. Less of an action movie than a look at urban decay, the movie makes the most of its potential at every turn.

Officers Alex J. Murphy (Peter Weller) and Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen) patrol the streets of crime-ridden Detroit. One day, while tracking down a gang, Murphy gets cornered and shot to death. But that's not the end of him; a group of scientists turns him into the steel-clad title character. Before too long, RoboCop is out fighting crime like never before. In the process, he not only decides to find the gang that killed him, but also investigates a conspiracy going to the city's highest levels of government.

Watching the movie, you get the feeling that everyone must have had a lot of fun making it. It's really neat now that I know that Kurtwood Smith - aka Red Foreman on "That '70s Show" - played one of the gang members. Paul Verhoeven, who turned out the masterpiece "Soldier of Orange" in his native Netherlands, created something more than cool here. You'll love it.

Possibly the most overrated movie of all time

[counterrevolutionary · 2/10 · 10 March 2003]

Leaving aside the sophomoric "satire" that seems for some unfathomable reason to have impressed far too many people, ROBOCOP is just a big, dumb, overblown action flick. This would have been a perfect vehicle for Steven Seagal (who pretty much acts like a robot anyway) if it had been made a year or two later.

On the other hand, my taste and that of the American public do not exactly run parallel, thank God. Statistically speaking, given that everyone else seems to absolutely *love* this piece of garbage, you probably will too. So watch it, if you're impressed by red-colored Karo syrup and exploding stuff. But if you happen to notice that it's continually insulting your intelligence: remember, I'm the one who warned you.

Impressive Action Film That Is Not For the Squeamish

[tfrizzell · 26 October 2000]

"RoboCop" is a surprisingly impressive action film about a young cop (Peter Weller) who is killed by a gang of cruel criminals and is brought back to life with both human and robotic characteristics. Now he is cleaning up the city of Detroit and going after those who brutally murdered him when he was 100% human. This film is ultra-violent in every sense of the word. Anyone under the age of 17 should be strongly cautioned before seeing this film. However, the violence makes the film realistic and more exciting. Paul Verhoeven does some of his best work as a director. The screenplay is very smart for an action film and all the actors give bravura performances. Peter Weller will always be remembered as the original "RoboCop". Ronny Cox, Nancy Allen, Miguel Ferrer, and an incredibly evil Kurtwood Smith all do the best work of their careers. An impressive film from the action genre. 4 stars out of 5.

Trend-Setting, Despite Its Shortcomings

[jcanettis · 7/10 · 12 June 2004]

If "Robocop" was first released today, it would probably not create much fanfare. However, when it was launched in 1987, "Robocop" became a true legend: Everybody had at least heard the term "robocop" coined in the synonymous film, a term that gradually became a part of everyday slang. As for the film itself, it proved to be a huge success, it set a new trend in action films, and it was followed by (unfortunately worse) sequels; even a TV series was created featuring Alex Murphy, the famous law enforcing human-machine Robocop.

So what was so special about "Robocop", back then? Well, the short answer should be "the innovative story". The film is about a not-so-distant bleak future (today this future unfortunately looks even closer to us...), in which greed and violence prevail, while the private sector takes care of everything, with its focus being in maximizing its profit instead of serving the public (sounds familiar?). In Detroit, OCP company is in charge of running the police (among other activities), but the crime is still rife, with villain Clarence Boddicker (Smith) spreading terror all around. To this end, the number two of OCP Dick Jones (Cox) presents a powerful robot-policeman named ED209, which promises to solve all the city's problems. However, the presentation of ED209 ends in bloodshed and fails miserably, giving the opportunity to a young OCP executive to present his own project, instead: Robocop. Robocop consists of a human policeman Alex Murphy (Weller) who had been killed in action, and has been re-constructed from scratch by the addition of several mechanical parts to his body and the erasure of his memory. The Robocop project proves to be a huge success, as Robocop manages to pacify the city and become a hero to its citizens. However, there are two problems: The first is that Robocop still has memories of his human past which haunt him; these memories become more intense when his former partner, officer Anne Lewis (Allen), realizes who he is, and she explains the missing gaps to him. The second and far more serious problem is that Jones is not happy at all with the turn of events, and so he is ruthlessly determined to destroy both the Robocop project and its creator.

Today the above story might not raise so many eyebrows, but back then, it was a really innovative and exciting script. Verhoeven did a superb direction, with many cool (for 1987 standards) visual effects also stealing the show. However, the film still had a few shortcomings: The acting was just average, while the plot still had room for some more twists and a little less predictability. Nevertheless, the result was good, and despite the film's evident age today, its still gets easily a 7/10.

Stay out of trouble!

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 13 April 1999]

RoboCop could have been the start of a great franchise. Instead the brand name piffled-out after the sequel and has since languished in the hell of TV shows, animated TV shows and mini-series crap. Paul Verhoeven's multi-layered original provided a platform for so much potential and possibility, it's a shame we only got 2 good movies out of it.

Alex Murphy is a deeply unlucky cop who has transferred into Detroit's (actually Dallas) worst precinct. On his first day on the job he is gunned down by the stupendously evil Clarence Boddicker (a brilliant turn by Kurtwood Smith) and his gang of nasty thugs. Resurrected as some kind of Frankenstien/Christ figure, Murphy returns as RoboCop-The Future of Law Enforcement.

In the world of RoboCop big business rules and public servants can be bought as stock (doesn't sound so unrealistic does it?). A super-conglomerate called Omni Consumer Products has entered into an agreement to fund and run the Detroit Police Force. Wishing to create a cop who doesn't need to eat or sleep they have a choice of pursuing the RoboCop idea or going with Vice President, Dick Jones' idea of ED-209, a mech-like twin cannon on legs. The CEO goes with RoboCop, leaving Jones with a personal vendetta against poor Robo.

It may have been satire back in 1987 but today we are all to used to doomsday news being delivered by smile by our news anchors only to cut to an ad feature some violent video game or movie. The violence, social commentary and horror of RoboCop can sometimes pale in comparison to real life.

When you're 7 years old, RoboCop is probably just the most amazing thing ever. I swear, I must have seen this film about 100 times when I was a kid. I was word-perfect on it. Even erm...note-perfect on Basil Poledouris' awesome, awesome score.I guess it's kind of unfair on kids these days that they are raised on braindead PG-13 crap while I got one bloody action movie after another back in the 80s.

RoboCop is no doubt a classic. It's a shame it had such an indignant death. Still, I guess this is still a chance for re-resurrection. But please...no remake!

Possibly my favorite film.

[aabz · 10/10 · 24 September 2018]

This film is like an onion, there are layers to it. A movie like this isn't suppose to be this good. Awesome story, ahead of it's day. This film has stood the test of time and the messages the film gives it's audience are more relevant today than ever.

Action has a new name: RoboCop

[moritzherz · 6/10 · 31 January 2023]

I was looking forward to watch this movie for a long time. MGM channel on Prime Video gave me the chance to watch it and oh my god what a hell of a movie!

First the action in this movie is just perfect. Over the top violence with a lot of blood is the cherry on the cake. But that's not everything about this movie.

This film shows what cruelties mankind could create. Not so unlikely that we will get robots as police officers.

It also should be mentioned that the movie has an incredible good soundtrack!

In summary this is one of the best action movies I've ever seen. It gives you everything you need and you won't feel bored for a second. This is a must for all action fans!

exceeds expectations of a B-level sci-fi thriller as one of the smartest science fiction satires of the 80s

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 25 May 2007]

Paul Verhoven, who originally turned this project down, must have known what a big joke this film was going to be if made right. But exactly right is how he's made it, as it's the kind of joke that one wants to get told by someone who knows how to tell it, so that one can remember how it goes to tell the next guy. It lays in its satire in sharp stabs that are wickedly dead-on, as far as consumerism and living in a state of decay by the media and complete omniscient (and sinister in playing both sides) corporate control goes, with commercials for 'Nukem', a variation on battleship, and a dinosaur-attacking-a-city movie coming soon, which comes at the strangest of time in the story. In fact, RoboCop in a big way can be seen as the older cousin of Starship Troopers, and to a smaller extent Total Recall, Verhoven's other futuristic sci-fi ventures: the society itself, which is encompassed with authorities, the corporate interests, the criminals, the cops with their low morale and high body count (cops deaths, not criminals), lends itself to being led on to get dominated by technology. What RoboCop brilliantly posits is that when the human element is suppressed in a society driven head-on by mindless and lethal technology, it's bound to come out somehow in some form. Just so happens Murphy (Peter Weller) is that form.

The simple lowdown: Murphy and his female cop partner are out chasing some bad guys, they track them down to a warehouse where Murphy is captured, shot repeatedly (his hand gets shot off first, then past the bullet proof vest), and killed...Or so it seems, as he's not totally dead, and is brought back to life, though not really. In a series of first-person perspectives- a real inventive way to show passage of time as well as a level of cynical manipulation in the guise of wild progress in making a human-robot- we see Murphy turned into Robocop, his arms replaced, a gridding and shooting system loaded in, and finally taking his first steps. Like any superhero, RoboCop is a kick-ass force to be reckoned with, and completely objective: he's there to serve and protect, and make the occasional PA for kids, "Stay out of trouble." The same thugs from before however are still lurking around, and a run-in with one stirs memories, if not exactly feelings, of Murphy's demise, as well as the loss he feels for his wife and child. Little by little, a routine investigation/crackdown by Robocop turns into a sort of vendetta. This, unfortunately, stirs up wrath in the head of the OCP, who is, as luck would have it, also the boss of the big-hoodlums Robocop is after in Detroit's glummest of slums.

It's worth to point out some of these story points, as Verhoven and the writers are actually very strong on pushing forward the story, but in a level that makes material that should be in a 25 cent pulpy comic book from the 50s into something more tangible. Like the Terminator, Verhoven keeps the adrenaline going forward as far as directing the action set-pieces, from small scenes with liquor store robberies, to a big crackdown of Clarence's drug operation, and to a scene involving many, many, many guns firing on Robocop in one fell swoop. But there's often an attitude to action, specifically the "excessive violence" (as the MPAA put it when it gave the film an X at first sight), that reminds the audience that it's bigger than life, like a movie should be like this, and at the same time graphic enough to point out the very chaotic nature of gang warfare. It's a thin line that Verhoven and his collaborators walk on and pull off tremendously, in making scenes that should be horribly horrific, like when the big walker-gun-machine is introduced and kills one of the board members, hilarious in the darkest possible way in how they unfold, and at the same time keep excitement to it, of the kind of danger one saw in Death Wish (and, like that film, Detroit's crime scene is probably not far from the one depicted here).

And when it comes down to it too, RoboCop/Murphy is the kind of big-screen hero that audiences can get behind, if after a slight adjustment to the whole goof that comes in just picturing a Robocop before it comes on screen. There's tragedy inherent to Murphy's original demise, hence the sort of bitter edge of the first-person creation scenes, especially because Robocop's creators didn't work out making it a figure that is entirely robot. Programming stays the same, but the past ends up informing the character, and brings what is otherwise a walking bill-of-rights machine with a big (bleeping) gun to being human again, in its black-and-white manner. In his own kind of twisted way, this is for Verhoven what Brazil is for Terry Gilliam; a near-future plausible not for the advances in technology (or lack thereof), but because of human beings not being able to know how to function society, and what a consciousness in technology brings to the situation. This as well as each director's obsessions, in this case Verhoven's knack at shameless artifice, bigger than life bad guys, twists in the plot, and a lot of bombastic violence. And all the same, it's an rip-roaring adult popcorn movie, one of the best of 1987.