In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) - a loving husband, father and good cop - is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer.
Throughout, one character refers to the new RoboCop as ‘Tin Man’ and to the film’s credit, it desperately wants to have a heart. Oh, if it only had a brain.
Taking the original and successfully transplanting it into an ambitious new world, José Padilha’s english-language debut is an exciting, pacey and thoughtful sci-fi actioner.
It looks terrific but, a bit like Robocop himself, struggles to figure out its purpose.
Great performances and flawless special effects conceal a cold metallic heart.
This model of RoboCop might have been brought bang up to date but it doesn't display any significant improvements.
Half-decent remake.
For all the sound and fury here, Padilha struggles to reconcile the organic and robotic elements of the storytelling.
A serious case of rust.
While the remake may not be groundbreaking, at least it appears to have been made by someone who understands what made the original great. For that, we should be thankful.
Jose Padilha’s update employs many of the same moves, but not the original’s sly, subversive humour.
General release. Check local listings for show times.