RoboCop (2014)

I'm always skeptical when it comes to remakes.  Those kinds of movies don't have the best track records and frankly, why mess with a good thing?  Oooorrr... if the original sucked, why makes you think a remake will make it any better?  But my hunger for hero movies and bias for certain European men clouded my judgment.

And my bias was right.  I enjoyed this RoboCop remake more than anything in the franchise.  I remember watching the original movie and the series with my grandfather.  He would call me in front of the TV and we'd watch it.  I remember it vaguely but I'm sure it was RoboCop and I would ask my grandfather if Alex Murphy is a man pretending to be a robot and they call him RoboCop because he's in that suit.  I think I did like the show and would've watched it even if my grandfather didn't ask me.

I heard about this remake in early 2013, maybe?  I admit, I laughed.  I mean... 90s RoboCop being remade?  I couldn't get my brain around the possibility of an updated suit; I was stuck in that fake-looking prop thing.  I wasn't going to give it a time of day but when they confirmed that Joel Kinnaman was cast as Alex Murphy, that turned my head.

Many of you might've heard of Joel Kinnaman from The Killing as Stephen Holder.  And Snabba Cash, for those of you, like me, who like watching foreign language/European movies.  He's a fine Swedish actor and like his compatriot, Alexander Skarsgard, Joel is soooo easy on the eyes.  And I love listening to him talk.  You know, in that adorable Swedish English, lots of fillers, kind of way.  Adorbs!


But anyway, I loved the action sequences of the movie.  Shaky cam was a bitch but unlike with The Hunger Games, it made sense.  RoboCop was in pursuit, weaving in and out of traffic on his BADASS motorcycle.  Man, that bike was sexy.  I was concerned that we won't see Joel much because of the visor but even with that, he delivered nicely.  His performance out of costume definitely reminded me of Holder though.

I was surprised that Nick Fury, I mean... Samuel L. Jackson was there.  Heh, shows you how much I truly paid attention to the weeks leading up to the movie's release.  He's more Capitol One commercial than Nick Fury but then again, that style is what makes Samuel L. Jackson.

There is a Batman connection beyond the metal suit. Michael Keaton was Batman.  Gary Oldman was in the Bale!Batman films.  I loved both of their performances here.  My favorite Elizabeth Bennet, Jennifer Ehle is there to provide the mandatory corporate woman.  She did that very well also.

What I didn't like was the token Asian lady with a clipboard.  On this case, a tablet.  You know, the genius-level stuck up bitchy labrat that never smiles and every word she says sounds like she's a know-it-all.  And I'm sorry, why is it that every movie has ONE actor/actress who couldn't act?  In this case, Murphy's wife.  Abbie Cornish is a pretty girl but she has one expression, that of pain that comes across as an awkward frown... as if she's trying to cry but can't do it.  I mean, she wasn't all that distracting - I can take her over the know-it-all lady - but there are other actresses who could've done a better job at emotions.

But Joel... yes, I am biased and I felt so proud seeing him on the big screen in a Hollywood action movie.  And I loved listening to him talk about his journey as RoboCop, the way he explains what Alex Murphy went through.  He was just so badass.  My favorite scene would probably be the one where they're testing RoboCop, neutralizing threats in that warehouse-y place.  I also like the part where they reveal "what is left" of him but that was more shock value for me.

Speaking of that, it was easy for me to suspend disbelief for this film.  Maybe because I watched RoboCop in the past, it wasn't too hard for me to digest that they can put a guy in a metal suit and have him save the city.  (Uh... Iron Man much?)  It was shocking to see what was left of him and then somehow, he could still function.  But hey, it's a sci-fi movie for a reason.  It's just amusing to me that they let him keep one hand.  But how about... never mind. ;-)

I never thought I'd like it as much as I did.  In fact, in the days after watch it, I couldn't keep it out of my mind.  I kinda wanna watch it again.  And since yesterday, I've watched every single interview Joel made about the movie.  I wish I caught him on Kimmel but alas, work overruns everything.

I cannot wait for the DVD release.  This is definitely going to be watched over and over again!