Ever since "Short Circuit" came out with the lovable robot Johnny Number 5 and the ruthless "Terminator" took screens in the '80s, it was just a matter of time before someone capitalized on the concept of human-robot relations.
"RoboCop," in 1987, met the need for a lethal contraption fighting on the side of the law. Over the last two decades there has been a dramatic increase in special effects and cinematic production, demanding a quality remake of "RoboCop."
The setting is 2028, and human military soldiers are becoming a thing of the past, Omnicorp produces robot soldiers lowering casualties. Now the overseas company plans to expand automating police departments. The American public, however, has an issue with robots ordering them around without the involvement of some human emotion or judgment at least.
Enter crime fighting hero Alex Murphy, (Joel Kinnaman) aka RoboCop. After Murphy is the victim of a severe car bombing, which leaves little left of him intact, Omnicorp puts him back together as the most dangerous law-enforcement robot that ever was. While staying true to the original, the new and improved 2014 RoboCop brings his own take to the character as well.
For action junkies who demand excessive blood and gore, there is a cinematic limit with a PG-13 rating to how much lead can be pumped into the chest of a villain, but that should not stop anyone from buying a ticket. There are still plenty of fight scenes, lots of entertaining dialogue and the always emotional robot-human identity crisis.
With a cast including Joel Kinnaman, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman and Abbie Cornish, the acting is arguably superior to the original, and the starts do an exceptional job at challenging the classic.
If you liked the original, check out the new twist on things. It won't disappoint.
Abbas Khan Cook can be reached at abbas.khancook@student.shu.edu.
