The words above were the tag line for this film from 1987 and it rang so true when I’d watched this movie. It’s a film that still amazes me to this day, with the sci-fi aspect, the practical effects, the gory violence, and the performances, making this a very memorable movie from the year that I had turned 19.
Growing up during the 80s, the best thing I remember about it were the fantastic movies that were released in theaters. The second two films from the Star Wars trilogy stand out in the early part of the decade, so did E.T.: The Extraterrestrial, parts one through eight of the Friday the 13th franchise, about four sequels of the Halloween series of films, the Back to the Future trilogy, and so many others.
Yes, the 80s were big for horror and sci-fi—all original and nary a remake to be seen (The Thing is the only one I can think of). But as the 80s were coming to an end, the movies seemed to be coming out more and more, with a lot sci-fi and horror that featured big improvements in special effects. One of those films was 1987’s Robocop.
Directed by Paul Verhoeven, a virtual unknown in Hollywood (at the time), he only directed a handful of films—mostly Dutch films—before being hired to take on this task of making this film. What he gave us, however, was a classic. And what a way to jump start his career in American film! He continued with quite a few hits afterwards, with Total Recall, Basic Instinct, and Starship Troopers. But it’s Robocop that I identify with him the most.

Wow, Verhoeven definitely made a name for himself when he directed Robocop, and it’s a wonder he was able to get this movie passed with just an R-rating. With all the people getting viscerally shot, as blood is being splattered everywhere, it’s amazing. Especially the scene where Murphy is being mocked by Boddicker as he shoots his hand off, and the joking and laughing as the rest of his hoods are shooting him, I’m surprised the MPAA let this film be released as just an ‘R’ movie. But that’s what makes this film so special, making the audience get behind Murphy when he goes after each member of Boddicker’s gang, carrying the motivation of what they did to him. I still get so angry as a certain scene plays out, where after Murphy gets his hand blown off, one of the characters asks, in a mocking voice, “Does it hurt?” as he smiles and laughs afterwards.
What’s great is that Robocop features more than one baddie in it, but it doesn’t get confusing because it’s left black-and-white that Murphy is the protagonist and Boddicker, Jones, and anyone associated with them are the antagonists. Even as the scene plays out where the police are called in to take out Murphy after he confronts Jones, we know that they’re just following orders straight from Jones, no matter how bogus they feel it is. Overall, we get a heroic story, complete with a superhero that has a need for vengeance. For me, any movie that has that formula will score every time.
So many memorable scenes and lines are in this film. The voice of Peter Weller, himself, is so unforgettable, I can’t see (or hear) anyone else in the roll. “Your move, creep” is one of the memorable lines in this film, “Dead or alive, you’re coming with me” is another, and as cheesy as they sound, it fits this movie perfectly.
The design of the armor is spectacular and certainly gives the character a tank feel to him, especially with the sound effects accompanying every footstep and movement he makes. Although, as an adult, I can see that it’s just a bulky suit, probably made of plastic, it’s so streamlined and metallic-looking, it’s still believable that I’m watching a real cybernetic organism walking around and catching bad guys. Rob Bottin, who had a hand in designing it, should’ve gotten an Oscar for it…I mean, look at the cult status this movie has and how that suit is so recognizable! We really need to applaud him, if anybody, for the look of this well-known character.
Sometimes, when watching these films from the 80s, especially these fantastical sci-fi flicks where grown men are wearing robot suits and actors all around have to perform their parts seriously around them, it amazes me that these actors take the parts and go with it. I’ve got to give it to them for putting on such a great act for the audience’s benefit of entertainment. When you get to the second sequel, it almost seems like a comedy and that’s usually what I expect out of a movie with such a far-out premise. But Robocop embraces it, as well as the lead actors in this one, and all together we get a great 80s sci-fi flick.
One thing that dates this movie—and I hate to sound nitpicky—is some of the scenes that feature stop motion special effects. Phil Tippett is famous for his stop-motion effects in the Star Wars films and it’s as real as it’s going to get in this one, but with CGI being as well-known as it is today, and everyone expecting to see it used in scenes with giant robots, watching the stop-motion used when ED-209 is moving around definitely makes this movie seem very old. But it’s forgivable and easy to get past it, so the movie can still be enjoyed as it was over 25 years ago.
It’s funny…this is the second Paul Verhoeven movie that’s on the remake block, right after the Total Recall debacle that was unceremoniously released last year and forgotten soon after it hit theaters. I feel that the remake of Robocop, due out in February of 2014 may fall right behind it, but the trailer I’ve seen does look pretty interesting. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
So…my final “bit” on Robocop?
Who is he? What is he? Where does he come from? He’s Alex Murphy. He’s a cyborg police officer. He comes from the great minds of Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, writers of this film. Robocop is no doubt the epic staple of sci-fi cinema from the 1980s. It doesn’t hold back, didn’t give a shit what its film rating was going to be, it took an outlandish story and made it into
the kickass movie that we know today. It has heart and soul, great characters you love and some you hate, the chemistry is there within the cast, and above all else, it’s a great time. If you haven’t watched it, you need to. And if you tell me that you love it, all I can say in return is…I’D BUY THAT FOR A DOLLAR! You thought I wouldn’t mention that, huh?
Thanks for reading and I welcome any comments!
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