RoboCop review: Remake has technology upgrade, story downgrade. Released on Friday, Feb 7 2014 UK Director: José Padilha; Screenwriter: Joshua Zetumer; Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Samuel L Jackson; Running time: 118 mins Certificate: 12A Is nothing sacred? For a movie that seeks to lambast a big corporation for pursuing money ahead of ethics, this remake of 1987 classic RoboCop has fallen into the same trap. The shocking body horror, cutting satire and emotional impact of the original have been ruthlessly stripped away, leaving a soulless metallic carcass designed by committee to amplify external gloss and maximise commercial profit. Whats more important than the safety of the American people? booms Samuel L Jacksons TV host at the start of the movie, before unveiling news footage of robotic troops trying to keep the peace through fear on foreign soil. Set in 2028, RoboCop initially offers a fascinating glimpse into a highly plausible future, efficiently establishing a myriad of intriguing themes that revolve around ethics, science and imperialism. These resonant issues are sadly left unexplored as the movie lurches into generic cliché, full of wafer-thin characterisation, no audience identification figure to frame events (like Nancy Allens loyal cop in the original), little sense of drama or jeopardy and inconsistently directed sequences that awkwardly veer between overly-shaky handheld camera movements and highly stylised tracking and crane shots. Patience is then pushed to near breaking point by an overfamiliar climax that involves a rooftop and a helicopter. Yawn. Nobody should have an issue with attempts to alter the classic storyline, but you can change the lyrics without losing the music or the structure. What made the 1987 movie incarnation of RoboCop so effective has been replaced by a cold wave of metallic mediocrity that showcases the advancement of effects while exposing its storytelling shortcomings. 2 Out of 5 - Read more here digitalspy.co.uk/movies/review/a549168/robocop-review-remake-has-technology-upgrade-story-downgrade.html youtube/watch?v=voFhWSW09B8
Posted on: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 19:35:48 +0000
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