RobocopPosted by Wilson Morales
The problem with studios remaking or rebooting films of yesterday that are considered classics or cult favorite is that film distributors and producers assume that a new audience doesn’t appreciate anything old and that an upgrade is necessary. While modernizing any of these favorites with new technology can make them look, it’s the audience who will decide, after time, if can better with age. Such is the case with latest reboot of “Reboot,” starring Joel Kinnaman (from AMC’s The Killing). While there’s plenty of gore and action to please some of its fans, the film lacks the satirical commentary that made Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 feel special.
Set in the year 2028, an over-the-top Samuel L. Jackson plays a TV host, who’s like the Walter Cronkite of his time, informing the audience of what’s happening in the world. In this case, it’s how conglomerate giant OmniCorp has successful been using robots as the main police and preventing crimes of the highest order. The problem with this is the robots do the job so well, there’s no room for negotiation as it doesn’t illicit emotion. This is where CEO Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton) comes in. He wants to upgrade the machine with a human brain and Detroit cop Alex Murphy (Kinnaman) is his guinea pig.
Murphy was recently killed in the line of duty while investigating corruption within his own force. With the help of scientist Dr. Norton (Gary Oldman), Murphy is brought back to life in the body of a highly advanced machine, but suffers amnesia. He doesn’t even recognize his his wife (Abbie Cornish) and son. What she doesn’t realize is that the emotional part of Murphy’s brain was removed so that he can be an effective killing machine with distractions from his past life. The problem is that he’s starting to remember little by little as he’s looking to solve his own murder.
This version is actually watchable as an action film. All of the ingredients are there to entertain an audience, but it doesn’t provide anything memorable. Kinnaman is solid as Robocop and it’s good to see Keaton back on the screen. He’s been away far too long. As for Jackson, this is one of those films where he probably signed off so that he could pay for a new car or mortgage. While the special effects and acting are effective, it can’t hold candles to its ’80s predecessor.
