ROBOCOP fears to deliver the goods

       The 2014 remake of Paul Verhoven’s bloody and satirical classic is, ultimately, a state-of-the-art, action dud. The new Robocop doesn’t improve nor amplify the original, and the filmmakers don’t know which direction to go: deliver a film that mythologizes the origin of Robocop, or produce a violent thrill ride? The film does neither.
      Director Jose Padilha, a newcomer to the Hollywood system, shows off his flair for glossy visuals and terrific staging, but the script won’t allow the talented filmmaker to push the Robocop reboot to an ultraviolent edge; at least not with a PG-13 rating. The writers are more concerned with developing a droll back story and unconvincing motivation. The plot spends about an hour-and-a-half of running time setting up the transformation of Robocop, which only leaves twenty-five minutes for seeing Robocop kick ass. The story is more or less the same as the original. Alex Murphy is left for dead in a car explosion, which leaves him crippled beyond recognition. His wife agrees to use her husband for an experiment at a Robot corporation, and once Murphy becomes Robocop, he turns on the corrupt government and fights for justice.
      The remake, similar to the original, conveys themes relating to humans vs. technology, and the media’s influence on violence . However, the news report scenes in the remake are as tepid and annoying as a fly buzzing in your ear. Samuel L. Jackson plays as the omnipresent newscaster, and his character’s primary purpose is to state the underlying themes, and moral and ethical views on Robocop’s stance in a corrupt society. The dogmatic news scenes are conveniently structured in the beginning, middle and end, which attempts to wrap every obvious point into a nice little bow.
      Sometimes, studio manufactured films, like the new Robocop, feel a need to use scenes that spell everything out to an audience, yet the news sequences have little dramatic or satirical value. Samuel L. Jackson’s pointless character continues to pop-up after every action sequence, which diffuses the level of suspense and intrigue. The more we tell an audience, the less likely they’ll be looking for hidden values.
      Robocop is a unique anti-hero worth exploring, and the director produces some terrific, eye-catching visuals. For instance, when Robocop’s body suit is disassembled, his remains—only Murphy’s face, a substitute brain, and the blood pumping through his glass-enclosed heart—offer a striking chill. If the script trimmed the fat—the clichéd family dynamic and Novak news scenes—and upped the mayhem, then the remake would possibly be worth recommending. The 1987 original had an edge, wit, and gore galore; while the remake is too scared to cross the line, in fear of box office distress.

 **(out of four stars)