The Blu-Ray Dissection: Robocop Trilogy

Posted by Chad Webb on 02.03.2011

Your favorite cyborg can now be seen in Blu-Ray. Did OCP make the latest release of this trilogy worth the upgrade? Click to find out...

The Films

Robocop Review

Peter Weller: Officer Alex J. Murphy/Robocop
Nancy Allen: Officer Anne Lewis
Ronny Cox: Dick Jones
Kurtwood Smith: Clarence J. Boddicker
Miguel Ferrer: Bob Morton
Dan O'Herlihy: The Old Man
Robert DoQui: Sergeant Warren Read
Ray Wise: Leon Nash
Directed By: Paul Verhoeven
Written By: Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner
Theatrical Release Date: July 17, 1987
Blu-Ray Release Date: October 5, 2010
Running Time: 103 minutes
Unrated

Classifying some of the efforts of Director Paul Verhoeven can be quite the duanting task. He is the Chinese puzzle box of filmmakers: challenging to sort out and you never know what you'll get once you open up one of his movies. This is the man who gave us the glorious 90's trashfest Showgirls and the moving Nazi story Black Book. Robocop is no different, and is probably his most satisfying film to date. It never hesitates to please on repeated viewings because Verhoeven is an incredibly bold director. Robocop is brilliantly absurd from start to finish, yet also intelligent, and Verhoeven revels in both. Whereas most movies who tried similar tactics would be cringe-worthy, Robocop continues to entertain with reckless abandon and make us smile.

Robocop is commonly found in the science-fiction section of most stores, and that is appropriate, but it is also heavy on action, intentionally humorous, and even acutely poignant. That's a wide-ranging area to reach for, but it all assembles into one unmissable smorgasbord of a package somehow. The social and political satire laced throughout gives a prickly edge to the proceedings, and with each subsequent viewing, those are the details I pick out and enjoy more and more. Take for instance the "Nuke 'Em" game from Butler brothers, or the one-note comedy show featuring Dave, the TV guy on the sole channel allowed. The superficial news broadcasts are outstanding as well. In terms of politics, Robocop was definitely aimed at the culture of the Reagan era, and even if some of those barbs fall by the wasteside as the years roll by, the commentary featured is still predominantly relevant.

Just think, the dystopian future of Detroit would never have been bestowed the services of Robocop had Mr. Kinney not been obliterated by the first ED-209. Many people were probably introduced to the R-rated version of Robocop, but my cherry was popped with the out of print Criterion unrated edition, and Kinney's demise is still one of the most greusome deaths I have ever seen, only to be matched by the toxic waste kill during the climactic finale. But before Kinney made his last stand, there was Officer Alex Murphy, hard-working cop, husband, and loving father who is super good at emulating the gun-twirling moves of TJ Lazer. Murphy is transferred from the easygoing sububs to center city Detroit where he is promptly told by Sgt. Reed: "We work up here Murphy." It was a sign of things to come. He is given a partner, Officer Lewis, and the two of them embark on what turns out to be a busy day. They get better acquianted over coffee and end up chasing down the Clarence Boddicker gang, whose members are all wanted in connection with the deaths of police officers, robberies, and anything else you can think of.

Unfortunately for Murphy, backup was not available, so when he and Lewis track the criminals to an abandoned warehouse, they are outnumbered. Murphy is shot countless times, with one point blank in the head. Lewis survives, but OCP has other plans for Murphy's remains. Crime in the city has spiraled out of control, and Omni Consumer Products is contracted by the police department to help make the rate drop. They are led by "The Old Man" and the plan is to utilize modern techology to combat law breakers. That is where Kinney enters the picture. OCP Vice-President Dick Jones presents the ED-209, an "urban pacification" robot, as the answer. Sadly ED-209 is shelved when his demo means the destruction of Kinney. This failure lights a fire under the ass of ambitious junior executive Bob Morton, who suggests the "Robocop" program. This of course enrages Jones, who vows to get even. Too bad Jones obtains his revenge before Morton can snort some more cocaine and make whoopie with his two visiting models.

Morton and his team take Murphy's body and transforms him into a half-human/half-machine cyborg. His memory is erased, he is rebuilt with armor, and computer chips are implanted in his head. Robocop represents the future of law enforcement. He can not succumb to corruption and has 3 prime directives: (1) Serve the public trust, (2) protect the innocent, and (3) uphold the law. Of course there is that pesky fourth directive that gets Robo in trouble. Problems arise when flashes of Officer Murphy's memory disrupt Robocop's mindset. He remembers how he died, and sets out to find Clarence Boddicker and anyone else helping him. Meanwhile, Officer Lewis is the only person who knows Robocop's true identity.

One of my favorite sequences in Robocop is the death of Murphy in the hospital, followed by Robocop's birth and gradual reveal. The suspense is expertly handled as for several minutes the audience only sees what Robocop sees from the party celebrating his unveiling to his first steps. The first glimpse of Robocop is a fleeting image on a TV monitor. Verhoeven then repeats this again once Robocop enters the police station. His profile is seen through the obscured window and we observe him briefly before he stomps into his private quarters. It is done a third time when his target practice begins and all viewers see is that huge arm extended and a totally awesme gun that every other ordinary officer envys. What this does is completely absorb us into Robocop's actions. From that point on, we are with him 100%. This is Murphy re-born, and his first victim is some poor schmuck who holds up a convenience store. Oddly, that criminal's gun is powerful enough that he could have striven for a higher paying robbery, but oh well. And I wonder if the lady ever replaced her dress when she was attacked by goons for Robocop's 2nd call. Robocop ruined it when he shot through the fabric, after all. I'd send OCP the bill.

It goes without saying that Robocop is Peter Weller's most recognizeable role, and unless you watch 24 or Dexter, it might be the only project you know him from. However, prior to his landing the part of the legendary cyborg, he was an accomplished and acclaimed stage actor, who appeared in plays from David Mamet and ones directed by Otto Preminger and Mike Nichols. His early film resume includes efforts from Richard Lester (Butch and Sundance: The Early Days), Sidney Lumet (Just Tell Me What You Want), and Alan Parker (Shoot the Moon). He's an incredibly versatile and sophisticated performer, and should be given more credit. Despite the fact that he possesses numerous similarities to Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator from a couple years earlier, Weller transforms Robocop into a credible and compelling hero we can sympathize with. And he does this under lots of make-up and that bulky costume, which speaks wonders for his abilities. Considering the limited and rigid movements Robocop has, Weller uses them to his advantage to be increasingly intimidating and even elicit emotion. His initial memory dream is an example as he experiences convulsions in his chair.

Each member of the supporting cast is right on track with Verhoeven's aim, and that unified chemistry is evident from beginning to end. The stand-out for me has always been Miguel Ferrer, a highly underrated actor, as Bob Morton. Ferrer has a distinct look about him that has made him fabulous at playing conniving snakes over the years, though Morton is not just arrogant but amiable and charismatic as well. The classic Blank Check is another example of Ferrer's talents. He exudes a penetrating energy that is just exaggerated enough that it's not too over the top. He knows when to pull back and when to amp it up. The tension and body mannerisms during the scene where he is badmouthing Ronny Cox's deliciously evil Dick Jones is priceless. I could watch an entire movie that focused just on the rivalry between those two characters, but Clarence Boddicker had to be thrown into the mix. Kurtwood Smith landed the role of chief villain because Verhoeven thought he resembled Heinrich Himmler. Smith originally auditioned to be Dick Jones. Smith has an extensive TV resume, not to mention his role as Federation President in Star Trek VI, but he left his most indelible stamp here as Clarence Boddicker, especially when he interacts with Jones' secretary. For the longest time, I was indifferent to Nancy Allen as Officer Lewis, but she adapts nicely as a female cop, even if her acting chops don't quite measure up to everyone else. Dan O'Herlihy (The Old Man), Robert DoQui (Sgt. Reed), and Ray Wise (Leon Nash) also deserve applause for their contributions. I'm still trying to figure out why Nash hung out at that weird dance club.

Verhoeven built Robocop in a manner that basically assured its ageless qualities would not disappear. Because the technology, costumes, and set design are somewhat scant, it is easy to imagine the plot taking place in just about any year from the 80's onward. A handful of quirks from the 80s' can be found, but the majority of the elements are universal, such as criminals committing horrible crimes without remorse, the hasty consumption of fossil fuels, and the company glitches that affect human lives. The threats are two-fold. You have the lower class goons that oppose society's values, found in the Boddicker gang and OCP, a rising corporation that wants to control everything with no concern for the public. Meanwhile the people in the middle, the blue-collar class, are like drones, consumed by TV, struggling to stay safe from both extremes.

For Verhoeven there is a method to his madness. He takes the Robocop concept, and what could have been forgotten as a B-movie and turns it into bizarre chaotic art. The action is exhilarating and invigorating. The car chases, shootouts, and machine clashes are well-staged, memorable, and although ridiculous, never become incongruous to the point of eye-rolling. The lingering score from Basil Poledouris adds that necessary extra layer to the proceedings that gives Robocop a theme that's uniquely its own. The effects are excellent, led by Rob Bottin and Phil Tippet, who make sure to toss in as many bloody body parts as Verhoeven will allow. They can be uproarious, firghtening, or both. The limited use of stop-motion was a wise move since those segments mesh as smooth as possible with the live-action shots. The screenplay from Ed Neumaier and Michael Miner concentrates heavily on the characters, and is witty and sufficiently detailed at the same time. All of this is managed by Paul Verhoeven, who thrives during the big-scale action as well as the intimate drama. The commonalities of the story are subverted by the acerbic dialogue and black satirical humor. Somehow, it all clicks without being self-conscious. Robocop is a mesmerizing triumph, a messy one for sure, but it succeeds in just about every area.

Robocop 2 Review

Peter Weller: Alex Murphy/Robocop
Belinda Bauer: Dr. Juliette Faxx
Dan O'Herlihy: The OCP President
Felton Perry: OCP Vice President Donald Johnson
John Glover: Magnavolt Salesman
John Ingle: Surgeon General
Tom Noonan: Cain/Robocop 2
Nancy Allen: Officer Anne Lewis
Robert DoQui: Sgt. Reed
Directed By: Irvin Kershner
Written By: Frank Miller and Walon Green
Theatrical Release Date: June 22, 1990
Blu-Ray Release Date: October 5, 2010
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rated R

With Paul Verhoeven out as director for Robocop 2, his succesor would be Irvin Kershner or "Kersh" as he was affectionately called by George Lucas. This is a goofy sequel, one that manages to crank out a handful of tolerable moments, but is overall exceedingly sub-par, cynical, and severely misguided. Such is the case with everything Robocop related aside from that original classic. Fresh off his biggest "streak" I guess you could call it with The Empire Strikes Back and the guilty pleasure Never Say Never Again, featuring James Bond on Geritol, Irvin Kershner took over the reigns but seemed to lose that sharp sense of balance, smooth flow, and controlled tone that Verhoeven brought to the table.

In the opening scenes, we are reminded of Robocop's prime directives...because that's important. We then learn of notorious cult leader Cain, not a suitable villain compared to Clarence Boddicker, and the hot new designer drug he is peddling called "Nuke", which is injected through the neck, probably because that looks more flamboyant for the camera. Nuke resembles a mixture of Pepto Bismol and Nickelodeon Gak, except for that brief segment where Cain gives us a glimpse of the various types of Nuke, each coming in its own bright color. He believes that Nuke is the answer to all of Detroit's woes. And Robocop, well he doesn't like this one bit. Except, Cain's prized goon thwarts Robo's pursuit early on. He is a small child that kills without blinking an eye, spews profanity, and has ambitions to be the leader during a time when Cain is incapacitated. It needs to be said that this kid, named Hob and portrayed by Gabriel Damon, was undoubtedly a tasteless insertion. To stoop lower, a team of little leaguers loots a store as ordered by their coach. Who found this amusing?

But Robocop has other issues weighing on his brain, specifically his wife. He has graduated from prowling around his old abandoned home and has now tracked her down as she is enjoying her new life. This gets Robo, also known as Alex Murphy, into trouble with his department. A visit between them is organized so he can provide her with closure and in hopes that he will put his past behind him once and for all. It is also mentioned that this woman is thinking of suing the department if stalker Robo doesn't leave her alone. He tells her he was given this face to honor the late Alex Murphy. Sure, I'd buy that. I liked Murphy's wife better from a distance. Weller's acting is significantly weaker, and due to the limitations of emotional conveyance for his character, the pair possess no chemistry.

Meanwhile, Omni Consumer Products (OCP), has a plan for the old city of Detroit. And Felton Perry returns as Johnson, somehow gaining a promotion to Vice-President after Bob Morton met his demise. OCP is still run by The Old Man, who should have been given a name for goodness sakes. Detroit owes a great deal of money to OCP, and OCP's objective is to have the city default on this debt so they can take over the city government (and in turn the city itself) and start building the super cool and fabulous new Delta City in its place. In order to pull this off, they force a police strike by cutting the officers' salaries and pension plans. This pisses the men in blue right off, although dependable, yet eternally grumpy Sgt. Reed is still assuming his permanent position at the dispatch desk. The Old Man is loving life, especially when Juliette Faxx, an OCP psychologist, uses her womanly ways to get the task of creating Robocop 2.

Faxx, a last name only found in the movies, takes over the project when all the officers they have tried to transform realize what they've changed into and become suicidal. This is actually one of the best sequences in Robocop 2 as it is darkly hilarious to watch the robots end their own misery. While that is being worked on, Robocop is busy searching for Cain, and low and behold, he locates his gang in a deserted construction site/factory yard. You know the place. It has been the location of choice for many a action climax as it displays rusted fences, glass ripe for shattering, the skeleton of an old building, and plenty of spots for bad guys to hide. Robocop doesn't fare well with this band of thugs as he is outnumbered, and then in what can only be described as robot torture porn, he is stripped, torn apart, and tossed in front of the police department like scrap metal. The downward spiral only gets worse as Juliette Faxx adds hundreds of directives to his system, making it impossible for him to show aggression.

Robocop 2 seems to rely on the action sequences and splattering blood for its thrills and entertainment, whereas Verhoeven's film did not at all. The action there was terrific, but it was a bonus. His film had a precise structure and aim. Kershner's film, written by Frank Miller and Walon Green, appears lost in its own routine of big action set pieces followed by a stab at black comedy. Through lots of shootouts, vehicle chases, and that image of Dan O'Herlihy in the hot tub, Robocop 2 strives to captivate on a basic, almost lazy level. The lack of vision is apparent because the violence ventures into cartoonish territory instead of being intense or intimidating, and the humor tends to be desperate half the time. I will say that Fabiana Udenio's (Alotta vagine from Austin Powers) cameo advertising Sunblock 5000 was outstanding. Her in a bikini is an instant win.

Tom Noonan is a mixed bag as Cain, settling for a performance that is a bit too over the top and silly and I'm sorry, but injecting Nuke gets dumber and dumber each time they show it. It's as if when they have nothing for Cain to do, they pop in another shot of that addictive juice your neck craves. I was also not nearly convinced enough as to why Cain was chosen for the final Robocop 2 design. And seriously, who sketched the designs for the robots in this sequel? They are all terrible, Cain's Robocop 2 most of all, which has a TV screen that comes out of nowhere to display his face. Robo's enemy does not seem all that threatning as he slowly lumbers around with his creepy computer graphic face. That vile kid is better at being wicked.

Peter Weller's acting ability fades away in this clumsy story since it's not about human interaction, or what it means for Murphy to be Robocop, but rather trying to present the viewer with more of the same minus the cleverness, wit, or subtlety. Nancy Allen is fine as Officer lewis, but her purpose is to trail behind Robocop like a worrying mother and not much else. I firmly think that she was kept in so fans could see another familiar face. Belinda Bauer begins with high marks as Juliette Faxx, but Kershner and company do not know how to use restraint with her and her evil qualities slide into the outlandish. The most consistent depictions go to Mario Machado and Leeza Gibbons as the reliable news sources Casey Wong and Jess Perkins.

Kershner sacrifices the sentiment and inner turmoil of Robocop for increased amounts of gunfire and explosions, which could have been passable, but none of the action is lingering or exciting. Kershner can be an excellent filmmaker when he wants to be, but the point of this sequel even existing is absent, and shooting Miller's heavily edited and subsequently feeble screenplay is a task too challenging for him. Miller's background in comic books is evident throughout, but his draft was almost completely restructured. Still, he and Walon Green are the credited screenwriters, and trying turning a satire into a comic book was not as easy as it may have sounded. That particular approach, however skewed it became, was wrong in this case. Peter Weller and Nancy Allen both disliked the film. Who can blame them?

Robocop 2 could have been so much more than it was. Truth be told, it is not entirely negative, but the bulk of the enjoyment stems from laughable scenes with the occasional grazing on something legtimately solid. The clunky and fragmented storyline wants to capture the energy and brains of the original, but it keeps stumbling. Too much screen time is spent with characters that are dull, Robocop's mental struggle is dropped in favor of mindless action, and the universe is not explored to the extent that it could have been. When I was younger, I actually saw this Robocop first. It would be years before I had the desire to tackle the first one, and before I revisited it for this review, all I could recall was Nuke. On this viewing, I found myself envying corrupt Officer Duffy, who is disposed with fairly early on, escaping the banal aspects of the conclusion. Not all of us were that lucky.

Robocop 3 Review

Robert John Burke: Alex Murphy/Robocop
Nancy Allen: Officer Anne Lewis
Robert DoQui: Sgt. Reed
Bruce Locke: Otomo
Remy Ryan: Nikko Halloran
Jodi Long: Keiko Halloran
John Posey: David Halloran
Elmore "Rip" Torn: The OCP President
Mako: Kanemitsu
Felton Perry: OCP Vice President Donald Johnson
John Castle: Commander Paul McDaggett
Directed By: Fred Dekker
Written By: Frank Miller and Fred Dekker
Theatrical Release Date: November 5, 1993
Blu-Ray Release Date: October 5, 2010
Running Time: 104 minutes

With the arrival of the third installment in the Robocop franchise, the gritty qualities, comedy, humanity, and energetic fun of Paul Verhoeven's classic, has all but evaporated. The terrible first sequel put the series on life support, but Robocop 3 certainly drove the final nails the coffin. All but four people have bailed by this point, and they are: Nancy Allen, Robert Do'Qui, Felton Perry, and Mario Machada. And the only way Allen would come aboard is if she was killed off in the first half. Spoiler Alert. It doesn't really matter since the Lewis role went approximately nowhere over the course of three films. Allen was admirable in the first film, but her death scene here is embarrassing. What Robocop 3 proved, and what the television series and comics reaffirmed, is that no one can think of any new or inventive situations for the lumbering cyborg.

Despite his victories over OCP's depravity in the previous two stories, Omni Consumer Products still survives, though they're on the verge of bankruptcy and wouldn't ya know it, Johnson has remained a Vice-President even though The Old Man has been removed. That's right, Rip Torn is the new OCP CEO, but the Kanemitsu Corporation has taketh over. Under Kanemitsu himself and OCP, the new Rehab (officially Urban Rehabilitators) team of officers have been created to forcibly evict citizens from their homes in the Cadillac Heights district of Detroit. Killing some of them doesn't matter either. The goal is to make room for everyone's fantasy land of orgies, mountains of money, and eternal bliss...Delta City. We've heard about it for two movies, and yet still no results. The Rehabs are commanded by Col. McDaggett, who has more control than OCP thinks. One of the families affected was that of Nikko, whose parents were shipped off before her eyes, leaving her to fend for herself. No worries, Nikko is one of those whiz kids viewers have always hated in the movies, and she has a super laptop computer than can help her in just about any scenario.

In Cadillac Heights, an underground rebellion is building. They decide to recruit Nikko, after she shuts down an ED-209 (yes, they are still around) without trouble. The rebels commit a no-no when they steal weapons from the police armory, including a mysterious device that turns out to be Robocop's prototype jet-pack. What a coincidence. Ugh. Before Robo joins their team, he is sent to apprehend them escaping from the weapons depot. Officer Lewis is sent as well, and when asked where Robocop is, she replies "He's not big on donuts." Ha. A chase ensues, but Robo disobeys orders by letting the rebels go so he can save Lewis, who is then surrounded by a gang. Now, if you didn't laugh in the first Robocop, and failed to even chuckle for Robocop 2, I can promise each and every one of you that laughter will pour out once you see the dreaded fear in the cops eyes as they wait for the Splatterpunks to attack them. Yes, Splatterpunks, and there is no tongue-in-cheek tone either. This film is dead serious that the Splatterpunks are a threat to the human race.

So after Robocop hurls his vehicle off the top story of a parking garage, landing perfectly I might add, it occured to me that Robo turning around to save his partner violates his prime directives. Maybe they should be called prime recommendations instead. The film seems to take a joy in going overboard and skipping over plot and character holes. They attempt to explain that Robo is making his own decisions, but do a poor job of it, and when Lewis is killed, Robo ultimately chooses to side with the rebel underground, led by Bertha. Robo was injured when Lewis was shot too, and the rebels put him back together again. Remember Nikko knows all, and she recruits Robo's chief scientist, Dr. Lazarus to help. Robocop must battle the Rehabs, the new OCP Executive prick named Fleck, and..:wait for it:..a ninja cyborg named Otomo.

My wife happened to walk into the room when Otomo did some disturbing reallignment of his jaw, and she proceeded to question my sanity for sitting through this movie. Just to play catch up, loyal devotees have escalated from ED-209 and Clarence Boddicker, to Cain/Robocop 2, and then to a ninja cyborg. Yeah. that was the logical next step. Otomo was "unleashed" by the Kanemitsu Corporation because...they felt like it. He is played by Bruce Locke, who would go on to star as Shang Tsung in the Mortal Kombat: Conquest television series. Thank the merciful Heavens, they did not give Otomo any dialogue, yet simply looking at him prance through this story in martial arts garb is a sufficient reason to chuckle.

Robert John Burke replaced Peter Weller as the titular character partly because Weller had a scheduling conflict with David Cronenberg's Naked Lunch. Some critics have stated that Weller is not missed in the role, and that because Burke bears a resemblance to Weller in looks, it is not a jarring change. Those critics are not in touch with reality. Yes, they look alike, but Weller managed to make us care for him. He made the most of the limited emotions. With Burke, it's almost as if they pressed Robocop's reset button. His acting is stiff, even for a cyborg, and instead of appreciating the action and caring for Murphy's situation, we observe him as a dope, nothing more. On a side note, there is one stand out line from Burke where he says "Don't!" that made me think of that faux trailer from Grind House. Anyway, moving along.

I had assumed the world received closure with Robocop stalking his old family in Robocop 2 like a peeping tom when OCP set up a meeting with his former wife. Apparently not. He still has the same flashbacks he always did, and by the conclusion of this film, that sub-plot has gone absolutely nowhere. There are some odd scenes in this film. LIke Robocop petting a cat, and I feared for the pet's life. Or how about when Robocop finally does use his jet-pack in what has to be one of the worst special effects shots of the 1990's. As this sequence continued, I thought, "You know, the jet-pack scene at the end of Kick Ass wasn't that bad."

Bradley Whitford, normally a fun actor to watch (See Billy Madison), is this installment's Dick Jones and Juliette Faxx. Whitford can pull this persona off in his sleep, but he keeps making comments about Jill Hennessey's derriere, which was strange. Hennessey is of course Dr. Marie Lazarus, the knowledgeable party that is against OCP (despite loving those paychecks), and is unequivocally sympathetic to Robocop. She treats him like a cancer patient. In every Robocop story, he has to have that trusty friend who knows how to fix him. C.C.H. Pounder is Bertha Washington, the rebel leader, and she's about as convincing a female hard-ass as Julianne Moore was in Lee Tamahori's Next. Like all the rebel underground members, they take this moronic script too seriously. Stephen Root is that member who is in cahoots with OCP. We all knew there would be one, right? Root appears to be having a blast dirtying himself up for a few scenes. If a positive performance exists in this drivel, it is that of John Castle's Col. McDaggett, who never sheds the cheesiness of his role. He would have been excellent as a foe for Stallone ro Schwarzenegger.

Director Fred Dekker embraces that old UFC slogan "There are no rules!" in constructing his movie. You'll see those magic bullets that travel insane paths to either hit or miss their targets, and cars so invincible it defies imagination. Robo commandiers a pimp mobile that ends up running down to its skeleton succesfully. Dekker does score points for at least two scenes in my opinion. One is the police walkout, which was actually gripping aside from revealing that the cop badges were purchased at the dollar store. The other was his use of Robert Do'Qui. Yes, it took Fred "Monster Squad" Dekker and Frank "I wish I hadn't made The Spirit" Miller to get Sgt. Reed out from behind the dispatch desk. He even has the film's best line as he pumps his shotgun: "It's time to show 'em how real cops kick ass."

I contest that no one was payng attention to the story when this was being made. The politics and relationship between OCP and the police department is even more confounding than before, gaping holes and absurdities can be spotted everywhere (Start a drinking game with them), and lame kiddie friendly PG-13 violence is filler for potentially engaging drama or any sort of story development. Explosions; they are the answer to any directorial hurdle. It is also increasingly manipulative as Dekker and company are desperate for cheers and laughs on certain occasions. Miller at the time was still eager to make an impression in Hollywood, and although portions of his story can be found here, it was substantially pillaged once again. Miller should not be given excessive blame, but his original script was turned into a comic, called Frank Miller's Robocop, and it's nothing to write home about.

The music is very irritating this time around the block, and I can promise you that the mute button will look quite tantalizing. Robocop 2 was Irvin Kershner's final feature film. Robocop 3 was Dekker's final stab at the helm. That says it all.

Closing Thoughts

Paul Verhoeven's Robocop, like many of the director's efforts, is endlessly entertaining, and one of those films I find myself regularly in the mood to watch on random days. Robocop 2 & 3 however, are sequels that are bad enough that they can (and probably have) tarnished the legacy of the "Robocop" name. By eliminating the intelligent themes, sharp wit, and well paced action for clumsy, half-hearted retreads, the flaws in the Robocop universe emerge pretty fast. If you watch all three films back to back to back, it is an exhausting trip. Robocop does have similarities to The Terminator and other titles, but Robo peaked with his debut, which is disappointing, but better than nothing I suppose.

For some reason, I have checked out most of what the Robocop franchise has offered. The live-action television series', Robocop: The Series and the mini-series Robocop: Prime Directives are both terrible, genuinely terrible. The cartoons, Robocop: The Animated Series and Robocop: Alpha Commando are tolerable, but relatively unmemorable as far as 80's and 90's animated series' go. I've played most of the video games, which are standard I guess, and have read the comics, one of which is cool, Robocop vs. Terminator. We won't address the Robocop angle in WCW. I find the character and his surroundings fascinating. I keep wanting someone to inject creativity into his system, but it never happens. In the end, that first film is the only adventure with Alex Murphy that any of us will revisit.

The Video

In terms of picture quality alone, this box set is not worth the upgrade. The best film f the trilogy is slapped with the same mediocre presentation that it received from the standard DVD versions. This is unacceptable in my view, but sadly a common theme with many new Blu-Rays of older flicks. The transfer is flat and dull, but certainly watchable. Some of the grain was intentional, but this is a classic that would have benefitted from a restoration. Robocop 2 looks a bit better, and regardless of some noise and grain, the black levels, colors, and overall detail are considerably more profound. Robocop 3 is obviously the newest of the trio, and as such it fares the best with sharp images, good contrast, and solid wonderful clarity. All three have an anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 in 1080p high-definition.

The Audio

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track for Robocop will not blow you across the room like it should. The sound for the first film is fairly underwhelming and low-key as the action, though there is plent of it, has no power. As expected, Robocop 2 has superior audio with the DTS-HD MA track. Everything is spread rather consistently, and it might not be a stellar sounding, but it is an improvement. And just like the picture, Robocop 3, the worst of the films, sounds significantly better with substantial bass and all channels getting a workout with the action. All the actors are lucid and understandable by the way. The latter two films have some depth with their audio, but the praise should not be misunderstood. The audio is below average across the board, and this set stinkf being thrown together at the last minute. There are alternate Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks in Spanish and French for all three films, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French for all three.

The Packaging

Robocop Trilogy on Blu-Ray is distributed in a slightly wider slimline blue case that compactly houses all three films on three discs. A cardboard reflective cover fits around that similar to when multiple DVDs are in a box set. The menus screens are easy to navigate and are designed in a high-tech osrt of way I guess to suit the Robocop universe.

The Extras

All we have is theatrical trailers for all three, and that's it. This is such a shame considering the 20th Anniversary Edition was loaded with extras, and even though it is a different company, the out of print Criterion edition even had bonus material. This has nothing, whereas others editions did, which is like telling people "Don't bother buying this."

Robocop: 9.0/10.0
Robocop 2: 4.0/10.0
Robocop 3: 2.5/10.0
The Video: 6.0/.10.0
The Audio: 7.0/10.0
The Packaging: 7.0/10.0
The Extras: 1.0/10.0

The 411: I'm glad I had the opportunity to review all of these films. I just wish this set had a little more to offer, but unfortunately it is bare bones. People seem to keep resurrecting Robocop sporadically over the years in the form of a show, a comic, and possibly a reboot, but everyone seems to have a one-track mind that gets away from what Paul Verhoeven brought to the table. I love the first one, but hated the next two. If you see the 20th Anniversary edition of the first Robocop, and are lucky enough to find the steelbook case, just buy that. Netflix the other two of you're really curious. This is a haphazardly assembled box set from top to bottom, and isn't worth the money.

Final Score:  5.5   [ Not So Good ]