ROBOCOP

"Part man. Part machine. All cop."

1987 - Color - 102 minutes - R - Director: Paul Verhoeven

"In a dystopic & crime ridden Detroit, a terminally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg with submerged memories haunting him."

Robocop vs. Terminator was always the debate as a kid. When you had to choose Terminator always won. I don't know why. I couldn't explain it besides "He's cooler". Although, as I get older I realize why. Robocop follows the rules. Terminator has none except destroy. Robocop is a cop so he automatically is a bummer. Terminator is a killer so there is no moral code being enforced. Robocop is a man trying to come to terms with the fact that he's a machine or a machine coming to terms with the fact that he used to be a man. The Terminator is a nihilist piece of Bronson garbage that kills with no rules until it reaches its prime directive. Robocop has a heart in the middle of all the action.
Aside from all the action and dark comedic overtones this movie is GREAT. Good actors, great direction, its filmed properly while remaining somewhat gritty. The criminals are such bad dudes you wish they'd die and cheer when they do get it. The story alone is a total bummer and sad, and besides Peter Weller talking in that robot voice you feel for the guy.
Robocop gave me an idea that Detroit was a gnarly place when I was a kid that stayed with me until I visited there 6 years ago and guess what? Except for things blowing up constantly in this movie it wasn't too far off. Robocop couldn't have happened anywhere BUT Detroit. This is a GREAT sci-fi action movie. Unfortunately, the sequels are pretty terrible, they just keep getting goofier and goofier and lack substance.
Revisiting this movie makes me realize that Robocop alone is a great gritty crime drama with a sci-fi edge. Kudos to the effects team for the toxic waste spill (essential gore) and the Murphy shooting sequence. I'm sure Tarantino saw this and stole a little bit of inspiration from it for Reservoir Dogs. For some reason (maybe because of Peter Weller being in Naked Lunch) this film has a serious Cronenberg feel to it. Which is a good thing.
This easily now makes it into my top 10 action/sci-fi/horror movies of all time. And if you rewatch or watch it I'd think you'd also agree.