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This article is about the film. For the video game, see RoboCop (video game). RoboCop is a 1987 science fiction action movie, directed by Paul Verhoeven. It spawned several sequels, several comic books, multiple video games, an animated series, dozens of action figures and four television series, all featuring a cyborg police officer. The film was produced by Orion Pictures. The film is set in a dystopian near future, in Detroit, Michigan. Violent crime is out of control, and the city is in financial ruin. The city contracts the megacorporation Omni Consumer Products (OCP) to fund and operate the police department, in effect privatizing it. OCP is not interested in rebuilding "Old Detroit" but with replacing it with a utopic and modern city called "Delta City". Before this large construction project can begin, OCP wishes to end crime in the city, and creates RoboCop.
Plot Set in the near future, the film opens with the broadcast of a short television news program called “Media Break”. The report explains that social conditions are worsening in the city of Detroit. Drug abuse is growing rapidly, the number of impoverished and unemployed people increases daily, and violent crime has nearly overwhelmed the Detroit police force, which has recently been taken over by a large, multinational corporation, OCP. There are also rumblings of a potential strike by the police, who feel they are being mistreated by OCP. They are also angry about the brutal murders of several of their comrades, masterminded by a well-known crime boss, Clarence Boddicker. At a meeting of OCP executives, Dick Jones, Senior Vice President, introduces a new law enforcement droid, ED-209. During the demonstration, ED-209’s programming fails and it brutally kills one of the executives. Seizing upon Jones’ failure, a young, opportunistic executive, Bob Morton, convinces the head of OCP that his own project, “RoboCop”, will be a more effective and less dangerous alternative. The “Old Man” gives Morton his blessing. Dick Jones is infuriated at Morton for going over his head. Alex J. Murphy, a dedicated cop and family man, begins his new assignment in the Metro West precinct, a particularly violent section of "Old Detroit." Murphy is partnered with Ann Lewis, a tough, experienced veteran officer. On their first assignment, they engage in a gunbattle with Boddicker’s gang, who have just robbed a bank. Tracking them to an abandoned factory, Murphy and Lewis proceed inside without backup. Lewis is temporarily incapacitated and Murphy is viciously gunned down by Boddicker and his gang. Murphy later dies in an emergency room. Morton’s team goes ahead with its project of building a cyborg from Murphy’s corpse. Murphy, selected as a "prime candidate" for the project, is rebuilt as Robocop. Programmed to follow a set of four Prime Directives, RoboCop deals with criminals using extreme methods (his programming seems to disregard Miranda rights, though he does make use of them later in the film). The project is a success with Robocop spectacularly halting crime all over the city, and Morton is made a vice president of OCP. RoboCop begins to experience dreams that recall his previous life. After meeting Lewis in a hallway where she tells him his real name, the cyborg apprehends one of Boddicker’s gang, Emil, who recognizes him. He accesses the main police computer and finds out that Murphy was murdered and that Boddicker is the prime suspect. In the meantime, Bob Morton is celebrating his promotion with two prostitutes when Boddicker appears. After chasing the girls out, Boddicker shoots Bob's legs, rendering him unable to walk, and he plays a recorded message from Dick Jones, who taunts Bob about going over his boss' head. Boddicker leaves a live grenade on the coffee table and exits the condo. The grenade goes off as Bob struggles toward it, killing him. RoboCop tracks Boddicker to a cocaine factory. The factory workers open fire and are all killed. RoboCop reads Boddicker his Miranda rights while throwing him through several plate glass windows. He is about to kill him when the criminal reveals that he is working for Dick Jones and reminds RoboCop that he is a police officer, not a mindless killer. RoboCop arrests him instead. RoboCop goes immediately to Dick Jones’ office at OCP headquarters with the intention of arresting him for "aiding and abetting a known felon." As he tries to arrest Jones, his system threatens to shut down. Jones reveals that the previously classified Directive Four states that it is illegal to arrest any senior executive of OCP and any attempt results in the disabling of RoboCop’s operating system. Jones also reveals that he had Bob Morton murdered because of the success of the RoboCop project and orders ED-209 to destroy RoboCop. A battle ensues and RoboCop escapes (mainly because of 209's inability to walk down stairs). He is met in the parking garage by a large police unit, who opens fire, attempting to destroy the cyborg. Lewis arrives and takes her old partner to an old factory (the same one where he was murdered). RoboCop removes his helmet and sees the face of Murphy. He asks about Murphy’s wife and son and Lewis informs him that they started a new life after the funeral. Dick Jones frees Boddicker and provides him with weapons and a tracking device to find RoboCop and destroy him. Boddicker gathers his old gang and they track their quarry to the factory. RoboCop, aided by Lewis, kills them all. He travels to OCP headquarters to deal with Jones and interrupts a high-level meeting where Jones is promoting the use of ED-209. Murphy reveals to the board that Jones had Morton murdered, having recorded Jones’ earlier confession. Jones grabs a gun, takes the Old Man hostage, demands a helicopter, and threatens to kill the Old Man if anyone tries to stop him. The Old Man fires Jones on the spot. Murphy, no longer having to abide by Directive Four, politely says, "Thank you," then shoots Jones, causing him to fall out the window to his death. The Old Man comments, "Nice shooting, son. What's your name?" to which RoboCop replies, "Murphy." The Prime Directives RoboCop is programmed to follow four prime directives (the first three are comparable to Asimov's Laws of Robotics): Weapons AUTO-9 - Ammo Type: 9mm; Magazine Size: 50 Rounds; Fire Rate: 600 Rounds/minute; In essence the weapon used is a modifed Beretta 93R. This is RoboCop's primary weapon. It is "holstered" in his right thigh. COBRA ASSAULT CANNON - The "Cobra gun" that is used in RoboCop1 is based on the Barrett M82A1A Sniper rifle. The Cobra gun used in RoboCop2 is different from the one in RoboCop 1. RoboCop 2 uses a Pauza P-50 rifle caliber .50 BMG. The most obvious difference is the front of the rifle and the handle which RoboCop carries the rifle with. Themes RoboCop explores larger themes regarding the media and human nature in addition to being a big budget action film. In the Criterion Edition DVD commentary track, executive producer Jon Davison and writer Edward Neumeier both point to the decay of American industry from the 1970s through the early 1980s. The abandoned Rust Belt-style factories that RoboCop and Clarence Boddicker's gang use as hideouts demonstrate this theme. Massive unemployment is prevalent, being reported frequently on the news, as is poverty and the crime that results from economic hardship. The concept of dehumanization is also represented in the title character. Murphy is killed in the line of duty and rebuilt as a cold, mechanized, and violent being. Although he later seems to regain some of his humanity, his ruthlessness in dealing with criminals is quite outside the boundaries of reasonable use of force employed by the police. His methods are, however, amazingly effective against the criminal elements of the city, with the movie depicting crime decreasing dramatically where RoboCop is operating. In contrast to the theme of dehumanization is the theme of regaining one's humanity. Although Murphy has become "RoboCop", during the last sequence of the movie we find that despite being a product of OCP, his basic core of individuality has not been lost. The president of OCP says, "Nice shooting son, what's your name?" Murphy declares, "Murphy." It is now clear that he is no longer just a programmed and manufactured amalgam of flesh and robotics, but a human being. Another theme is the sense of justice finally being brought to vicious and remorseless criminals. The criminals mercilessly execute Murphy as well as many other cops and innocent citizens and are involved in drug trafficking, murder, and prostitution. A key point is that lawyers, probably controlled by ruthless corporate executives, are able to release criminals within hours or days despite the severity and number of crimes they were charged with. This shows the inability of the judicial system to effectively contend with criminals, and the only way for the citizens of Detroit to be truly safe is when Murphy "deals" with them. Cast Trivia
Sequels and Spin-offs Due to the enduring popularity of the character, there have been a number of RoboCop spin-offs and sequels. These are: Remake Sony Pictures now owns the rights to the RoboCop franchise and is considering a remake of the original film.* There haven't been any further updates on the project since November 2005. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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