Robocop
I finally saw this on TV, after 23 years. I thought I would love it. I did not.
The concept is so cool: what paradoxes and moral dilemmas would we face if we had an infallible justice machine? But Robocop didn't address that at all. Instead, the conflict the robot faces was how to override a system directive on a technicality. And it's motivation was purely human, without complication: revenge. Murphy wanted to find a way to kill his killers.
The depiction of Detroit is also completely unrealistic. A coke manufacturing factory, that's not shut down? A four-eyed nerd who's the king of the underworld? Come on.
But the thing that confused me most about this movie was it attitude toward the idea of a fascist police state. If I wanted to make a point about the dangers of excessive police authority, I would submit Robocop as Exhibit A. And yet I don't think that's what the movie was going for at all. On the contrary, I suspect it was trying to celebrate power. Even if it's lethal power in the hands of the government. The robots are authorized to gun people down even if it's invulnerable to weapons. That seem patently unfair. But it is a problem that the movie explores not at all.
In sum, after high anticipation, I was totally disappointed by Robocop.
The concept is so cool: what paradoxes and moral dilemmas would we face if we had an infallible justice machine? But Robocop didn't address that at all. Instead, the conflict the robot faces was how to override a system directive on a technicality. And it's motivation was purely human, without complication: revenge. Murphy wanted to find a way to kill his killers.
The depiction of Detroit is also completely unrealistic. A coke manufacturing factory, that's not shut down? A four-eyed nerd who's the king of the underworld? Come on.
But the thing that confused me most about this movie was it attitude toward the idea of a fascist police state. If I wanted to make a point about the dangers of excessive police authority, I would submit Robocop as Exhibit A. And yet I don't think that's what the movie was going for at all. On the contrary, I suspect it was trying to celebrate power. Even if it's lethal power in the hands of the government. The robots are authorized to gun people down even if it's invulnerable to weapons. That seem patently unfair. But it is a problem that the movie explores not at all.
In sum, after high anticipation, I was totally disappointed by Robocop.
posted by Rex at 3:22 AM
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