What a horrible price Alex Murphy had to pay as a cop for his integrity. He was brutally killed by a group of criminals. Murphy was reincarnated, or rather reconstructed, on the point of death, half as a man, partially as a machine, and so the RoboCop was created. The film “RoboCop,” directed by Paul Verhoeven, has successfully maintained its reputation since its premiere in 1987.
The film may be characterized as a smart, intelligent picture, despite some people objecting to the severe degree of violence and giving it an “X” classification. Apart from the film’s groundbreaking sci-fi material, the Director includes fun, satirical references, similar to those seen in films such as “Total Recall” and “Starship Troopers.” RoboCop has deservedly gotten a lot of appreciation throughout the years because of its fantastic narrative. Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O Herlihy, Ronny Cox, and others feature in “RoboCop.”
Three years later, “RoboCop2” was published as a sequel, which was enjoyable but fell short of the grandeur of its predecessor. Irvin Kershner directed the picture, which featured Peter Weller reprising his role as RoboCop, Nancy Allen reprising her role as Lewis, and Dan O Herlihy reprising his role as the Old Man. It mostly focuses on the confrontation between RoboCop and Cain, a rising drug king.
Orion Pictures released “RoboCop 3″ in 1993, directed by Fred Dekker, the film’s co-writer. Frank Miller, a comic book icon, was the other writer. The most disappointing aspect of this picture is that Peter Weller was replaced with Robert John Burke due to a scheduling difficulty. In addition, his partner Nancy Allen was slain in the film. Unlike the prequels”X” and”R” classifications, this picture received a PG –13 rating from the MPAA.
In 2014, Jose Padilha directed a recreation of the classic “RoboCop.” The picture was aimed at children rather than adults, as was the case with “RoboCop 3” in 1993, yet it turned out to be a superior film. Despite this, the first two “RoboCop” films are incomparable. Let’s take a look at each storey one by one, in order.
Part man, Part Machine, All Cop : RoboCop – Released in 1987
The film began with a news report indicating that violent crime in Old Detroit had spiralled out of hand, with several police officers killed or injured. Clarence Boddicker, the criminal boss of Old Detroit, was the leading suspect in the killings.
The Detroit Metropolitan Police Department or the DPD blamed the Omni Consumer Products or OCP that had entered into a contract of managing the DPD. But OCP chairman, referred to as The Old Man, was only interested in converting Old Detroit into a modern version called ”Delta City”. But before this conversion took place, OCP’s primary concern was to eradicate crime from the city.
Senior President Dick Jones enthusiastically introduced his improved law-enforcement robot, ED-209, during a board of directors meeting, claiming that it will be successful in removing crime from Detroit. However, as he attempted to display his robot, it suffered a catastrophic failure, killing the junior executive who had volunteered for the presentation.
The boardroom became chaotic, and the Chairman was extremely unhappy with ED-209. Another junior executive, Bob Morton, grabbed the opportunity and introduced his ”RoboCop” program, which the Old Man readily accepted. As a result, Jones started hating Morton considerably.
Meanwhile, seasoned officer Alex Murphy was sent to the Metro West Precinct from the Metro South Precinct. His companion has been assigned to Anne Lewis. They were on patrol and had just stopped for coffee when they received word of a pharmaceutical firm heist. Murphy and Alex get separated while chasing the thugs.
Murphy was lured to an abandoned steel plant and murdered brutally by the most wanted gang leader Boddicker. After Murphy’s death, he was taken by Morton’s team and transformed into a ‘full body prosthetic’ cyborg, emerging as the first RoboCop.
RoboCop hardly remembered anything from his life as Murphy except his habit of twirling his pistol, which he had developed to impress his son. RoboCop became highly successful in lowering the crime rate in Detroit, while with this effective project, Morton achieved the position of vice-president in OCP.
Jones became enraged and enlisted the help of Boddicker, who turned out to be one of his employees and murdered Morton on his orders. RoboCop acquired more of his prior memories as time passed, especially after he began arresting the people responsible for his death. Finally, he managed to capture Boddicker, who confessed that Jones would protect him. RoboCop could not kill Boddicker due to the ”Directive Three” clause of his programming, which stated ”Uphold the Law”.
He took Boddicker to the police station and advanced to Jones’s office to capture him. But another ”Directive 4” stopped him from opposing any OCP officer, while Jones declared and boasted his powers and crimes, including the murder of Bob Morton. The ED-209 and several other team members of Jones attacked and damaged RoboCop, who managed to escape with the help of Lewis.
While the Detroit police department began their long-awaited strike, RoboCop successfully repaired itself. Jones gave Boddicker the command to destroy RoboCop in the middle of the turmoil. In return, he promised to make Boddicker the new crime lord of the proposed Delta City. He supplied Boddicker’s gang with vehicles, weapons like Cobra Assault Cannon, and a tracking device to locate RoboCop.
The tracking device was utilised by Boddicker’s gang to find RoboCop at the same abandoned Steel Mill where he had been murdered. Despite Lewis being critically injured and RoboCop being more damaged in the ensuing conflict, RoboCop and Lewis murdered all of Boddicker’s gang members. Boddicker attempted to kill Lewis by shooting him, but RoboCop stabbed him in the neck and killed him.
Meanwhile, RoboCop arrived at OCP headquarters, disrupted an ongoing management meeting, and charged Dick Jones with Morton’s murder. He played the recording of Jones’s confession during his denial. Jones panicked and took the ‘ Old Man’ hostage while demanding a helicopter for his escape.
The outraged Chairman immediately fired Jones, thus disabling ”Directive 4”, as RoboCop shot Jones several times as his body crashed through the window and plunged to the ground. As the “Old Man” complemented RoboCop and asked his name, he paused, smiled, and replied, ”Murphy”.
Peter Weller dedicated himself solely to the job, even though it was difficult for him to move in the RoboCop outfit. He reported that perspiration was causing him to lose over three pounds every day. Rob Bottin, the suit’s designer, later added a fan to it. Anne Lewis also had to get her hair chopped numerous times before the Director authorised it because he wanted to desexualize her character.
Verhoeven and Rob Bottin clashed on a scene where RoboCop took off his helmet and stayed aloof throughout the shooting. Later both were so happy with the scene that they forgave each other, and Bottin heartily accepted Verhoeven’s next film, ”Total Recall”. “RoboCop” is a film where humanity has been redefined.
Who would you consider human? People who would perform any crime for money and power or the RoboCop willing to get destroyed, trying to eradicate crime from the city. This satire, along with its ultra-violence, incredible special FX, and fascinating presentation, makes RoboCop relevant even today.
He’s back to Protect The Innocent : RoboCop 2 Released in 1990
Even with the arrival of the RoboCop, the synthetic police officer constructed from the deceased body of Officer Alex Murphy, life in Detroit had not improved significantly, according to a Media Break news broadcast. Though RoboCop had successfully decreased the crime rate of Detroit, the remaining police force continued their strike due to a deduction in salary and benefits by OCP.
RoboCop remembered everything about his past life and also reached out to his wife. But realizing that he could never return to his previous life, he told her that he had been given her husband’s face to honor him.
Nuke, a new designer drug that is highly addictive, has inundated the streets of Detroit. Cain, a mystery cult leader who had also disseminated fear to sell the drug, was the genius behind the substance.
Meanwhile, OCP began construction on RoboCop 2, a more advanced version of RoboCop that would be mass-produced from the brains of killed officers. The rejuvenated policemen, on the other hand, invariably committed suicide when they were activated. Dr. Juliette Faxx, a psychologist, theorized that Murphy’s strong moral code and strict Catholic upbringing were necessary for his early success.
She persuaded the Chairman to let her oversee the project to recoup the company’s 90-million-dollar research and development investment. However, the research team was shocked to hear that she preferred working with death row convicts, who sought power and immortality rather than cops.
OCP’s present objectives became clear when they sought to buy Detroit’s debt default.
Meanwhile, when questioning the criminals who attempted to loot a gun store, RoboCop and Alex learned that they were hooked to the new drug Nuke and uncovered the lab where it was made.
The lead persons involved with the production were Cain, his girlfriend Angie, a juvenile apprentice, Hob, and a corrupt police officer, Duffy. However, when RoboCop confronted Cain and his gang in an abandoned site, RoboCop was defeated, dismantled, and left in front of the Detroit Police Station.
The OCP was initially uninterested in reconstructing RoboCop, first because of the enormous expense, and second because they were more interested in RoboCop 2. Psychologist Faxx, on the other hand, resurrected RoboCop, albeit with 300 additional commands added to his software.
The new set of instructions prevented him from taking forceful action against the crooks while also preventing him from protecting himself. He was unable to perform as effectively as before. He decided to consult with the original team who had created him and followed their instructions, as he exposed himself to a tremendous magnitude of electric current, erasing all the new set of directives.
He eventually led his fellow police to another Nuke production facility, where Cain was seriously injured and brought to the hospital, while Hob assumed Cain’s tasks. In the hospital, Psychologist Faxx arrived and converted Cain to RoboCop 2 while she claimed that he could be pacified with a dose of pure Nuke.
Meanwhile, Hob and Mayor Kuzak have scheduled a private meeting. Hob proposed a plan in which he would pay off Detroit’s debt in exchange for the unrestricted sale and distribution of Nuke. However, OCP dispatched RoboCop 2 to assassinate everyone. As the Mayor just managed to escape, RoboCop 2 killed Angie, Hob, and other gang members. Hob was alive only to inform RoboCop about the entire set of events.
OCP held a large press conference to reveal its Delta City and RoboCop 2 designs. However, when OCP’s “Old Man” exhibited the Nuke canister to emphasise the threat it represented, Cain, as RoboCop 2, grew enraged and began assaulting the audience and RoboCop. A ferocious battle ensued between RoboCop and RoboCop 2.
Finally, RoboCop distracted RoboCop 2 with the canister of Nuke and crushed his brain. OCP put the entire blame on Faxx, and when Lewis expressed her grudge that the remaining executives of OCP got away with the crime, RoboCop said, ”We’re only human.”
“RoboCop 2” was the final RoboCop film in which Peter Keller worked, since he was becoming tired of wearing the costume and was also dissatisfied with the storyline. The RoboCop costume in this film was built of Fiberglass, which made it more comfortable for Keller to wear.
The film received mixed reviews from the critics and the fans of the previous film. Many felt that the film failed to include the human touch that was promptly visible in the prequel. Despite the praiseworthy special effects and action sequences, many people thought that the violence surpassed the story of humanity.
Many disliked the idea of Hob, a teenager, killing people ruthlessly and taking over the drug business. If handled properly, “RoboCop 2” could have been a worthy successor of the original film.
Chaos…… Corruption……Civil War… He’s back to lay down the Law : RoboCop 3 – Released in 1993
The third RoboCop sequel has arrived, but there is no good news for Detroit. After a run of unsuccessful business ventures and decreasing stock prices, the city was still on the verge of bankruptcy, and they were dealing with their ambitions to construct the new Delta City.
To expedite the process, OCP started setting up a private security unit called Urban Rehabilitators, nicknamed “Rehabs,” under the leadership of Paul McDaggett. The Rehabs were intended to lessen the city’s crime rate, but the truth was that they were actually formed to relocate the residents of Cadillac Heights so that there was no hindrance in the formation of the Delta City.
Nikko Halloran, a little girl from Cadillac Heights who was a computer genius, lost her parents in the process. RoboCop and Nikko become fast friends after realising the Rehabs’ menace. He also bonded with one of the scientists of OCP, Dr. Marie Lazarus, who was a part of the team responsible for the creation of RoboCop but had resigned from OCP after realizing their motives.
As violent crime spiralled out of control, The Rehabs began to take the place of the cops. The Japanese corporation Kanemitsu Corporation has taken over the Delta City concept that was the CEO’s dream, the “Old Man.” They became the controlling power of OCP after becoming the principal stockholder. The current CEO, Kanemitsu, developed its own ninja robots called Otomo to aid McDaggett in removing the current citizens and proceeding with the Delta City project.
To defend the innocent bystanders, RoboCop and Lewis fought the Rehabs one night, but in the process, McDagget mortally injured Lewis, who later succumbed to her injuries.
RoboCop was rescued by members of a resistance organisation led by Nikko and the people of Cadillac Heights since he couldn’t defend himself owing to his “Fourth Directive” programming.
He became a part of their movement. Since he was severely damaged during the shooting, the efficiency of the RoboCop systems dropped. He summoned Dr. Lazarus, who immediately arrived and treated him, eliminating the Fourth Directive. During a previous foray into an armory, the Resistance collected a prototype jetpack originally intended for RoboCop use. Lazarus modified and updated it, making RoboCop even more powerful.
RoboCop eventually went it alone against the rehabs and the OCP, attempting to beat McDagget, but he was successful in escaping. Later, one of the Resistance’s dishonest and disgruntled members exposed the location of their base.
The Rehab attacked the base, and most of the Resistance fighters were killed or captured. Nikko managed to escape with the help of Dr. Lazarus, but she was imprisoned and taken back to the OCP building. When RoboCop returned to the rebel base, an Otomo unit arrived and attacked him. RoboCop was again severely injured though he managed to destroy his opponent.
Nikko invaded the OCP headquarters and assisted Lazarus in broadcasting an impromptu video detailing OCP’s atrocities. It depicted the OCP as the cause of the city’s high crime rate and accused them of murdering inhabitants of Cadillac Heights. The broadcast led OCP’s stock to plummet, effectively bankrupting the company.
Meanwhile, with the support of the Detroit Police Department, McDaggett planned to launch a full-fledged attack on Cadillac Heights. However, the police officers refused to cooperate, citing the company’s cruel practises as a reason. Consequently, McDaggett approached the street gangs and hooligans to help him with his plans.
RoboCop flew to the scene, attacked, and beat the Rehabs and hooligans as they were ready to assault the resistance members. He then made his way to the OCP building, where McDagget awaited him for a last battle.
Two Otomos attacked the RoboCop and were about to destroy him when Nikko and Lazarus managed to reprogram the Otomos, making them destroy each other. However, the reprogram triggered a self-destruction program in both units. The flame from the jetpack of RoboCop hit McDaggett, injuring him severely while RoboCop fled with Nikko and Lazarus, leaving McDaggett to die in the explosion.
Kanemitsu appeared during the re-establishment of Old Detroit and respectfully bowed before RoboCop and the group. RoboCop was thanked by the previous CEO, who inquired his name, to which he answered, “Murphy is how my friends refer to me. You refer to me as RoboCop.”
Only a few sequels have managed to keep the fun and heritage of the prequels, and “RoboCop” is no exception. The reaction to the second sequel should have served as a warning to wrap up the RoboCop franchise. The Director lessened the violence and action to reach out to the young generation, but he realized his mistake later. The budget of the film was reduced drastically, affecting the special effects. The film is a disaster and can be easily avoided unless you are desperate to watch the entire series.
We’ve got the future under Control: RoboCop – Released in 2014
Omnicorp, a worldwide business, led the way in robot technology in 2028, with their drones being deployed all around the world except in the United States. In the United States, the Dreyfus Act prohibited drones from carrying guns and being deployed locally.
Omnicorp CEO, Raymond Sellars had instructed his marketing team under the supervision of scientist Dr. Dennett Norton to create a new law enforcement product with the combination of human and machine. He hoped that the success of this project would convince the people about the advantages of machines and enhance the company’s profit.
Alex Murphy was an honourable, educated, and disciplined officer who was pursuing local criminal boss Antoine Vallon alongside his colleague, Jack Lewis. Vallon was briefed about Murphy and Lewis by two dishonest police officers who worked for him. Lewis was injured, while Murphy was critically wounded by a bomb blast planted in his car by those corrupt officers.
After taking consent from Clara, Murphy’s wife, Dr. Norton selected a critical Murphy for his RoboCop project. Thus, Alex was converted into RoboCop, with enhanced strength and an instant computing brain. At first, Alex refused to be a RoboCop, but later, he was convinced for his wife and son’s sake.
His simulator and field trainings were completed, and though RoboCop thought he was taking all the decisions, he was merely doing what had been programmed. Yet, Rick Mattox, Omnicorp’s military technician, thought drones would be more efficient than RoboCop.
RoboCop was ready for a major news conference where he would be introduced. Unfortunately, as the police database information was being downloaded into Alex’s brain, he became emotionally overwhelmed and began to have seizures.
Norton, under pressure, had no option but to lower his dopamine levels so that Murphy didn’t display any emotion. Thus, RoboCop successfully attended the press conference but ignored his eager wife and son. Soon, RoboCop became a grand success as he lessened the crime rate in Detroit drastically. More and more people started believing in machines’ efficiency, and public opinions on the Dreyfus Act began to change.
Clara had been barred from meeting Murphy, but she did visit him one day and informed him about their son’s nightmares. Murphy was able to override his programming and make his way back to his home. He viewed the CCTV footage of his accident and realised David had been devastated by seeing his damaged body.
Eventually, Murphy decided to take revenge and tracked down Vallon to a warehouse, where Murphy slaughtered everybody. He then turned his attention to the two corrupt officers. When Murphy attacked them, they revealed the shocking news that the real mastermind behind them was the chief of Police, Karen Dean. When Murphy attempted to arrest Karen Dean, he was shut down by Mattox.
Meanwhile, Sellars took advantage of the situation, teaming up with TV host Pat Novak to spread the word about police corruption and the benefits of drones. The repeal of the Dreyfus Act was largely supported by the general public. Sellars told Norton that the RoboCop was no longer required and asked Mattox to destroy RoboCop. Norton hurried to the lab, helped the RoboCop regain his consciousness, and revealed everything to him. Infuriated, Murphy decided to avenge his betrayal as he went after Sellars.
Sellars, on the other hand, had shut down the Omnicorp facility, and the drones had become his army. Murphy’s former partner, Jack Lewis, aided him in gaining access to the Omnicorp headquarters with the assistance of a police force. Murphy initially engaged Mattox, who nearly ambushed him before Lewis fired and killed him.
Murphy tracked Sellars and went to the roof of the building where he was waiting for the helicopter to escape. Also, he had made Clara and David hostages to stop Murphy from hurting him. Though Murphy’s programming stopped him from arresting Sellars, he somehow managed to override his system and finally shot Sellars and killed him.
While Clara and David visited Dr. Norton at his lab, Murphy was reconstructed. As Dr. Norton disclosed everything done to the RoboCop programme, the President vetoed the repeal of the Dreyfus Act. Norton still praised Sellars and hammered Norton for his confession. As he concluded his show, he urged the viewers to stop complaining and get along with the show.
Screen In 2005, James announced a remake of “RoboCop,” but the project was put on hold for a year. Following that, the picture was repeatedly postponed until Padilha was hired as the director in 2011.
The picture was met with mixed reviews. Some were happy with the performances, action, style, and political satire, but some criticized the lack of humor and violence compared to the original film. The film grossed $242 million against a budget of $100-130 million. Detroit celebrated ‘RoboCop Day’ on 3rd June 2014, coinciding with the home media release date.
RoboCop Returns
Fans of RoboCop are eager to learn more about the impending “RoboCop Returns,” which was first announced in January 2018. Producer Ed Neumeier indicated in early 2019 that this film was being made with the intention of becoming a direct sequel to the 1987 picture. The reason behind this is that it was Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner’s original idea for “RoboCop 2”. It won’t consider the two sequels and a reboot to the classic movie.
The narrative is set in Detroit, which is expected to be on the edge of mayhem owing to the development of anarchy. RoboCop would return to battle crime and corruption and restore order. Neill Blomkamp, who is always fascinated with reboots, was supposed to direct the film, but he tweeted in August 2019 that he was no longer involved with the project.
After three months, Abe Forsythe was announced as the new project manager. He’d read through the script for any more revisions, but it was unclear how much the tale would alter.
After his appearance as RoboCop in the 2019 KFC commercial campaign, fans wanted to see Peter Weller reprise his role as the RoboCop. He declared, though, that he had no desire to return to the job. The fans still hope that he might be back as the most desired RoboCop.
Even if Peter Weller declines to return, the original Rob Bottin outfit would appear in “RoboCop Returns” to maintain the continuity of the 1987 classic. Due to the Covid–19 pandemic issue, no release date has been set yet. As things have started becoming normal, fans are eagerly waiting to return to the theatres and enjoy the long-awaited “RoboCop” movie.