Friendly Fire RoboCop (1987)
Dec 28, 2018
Delve into the chaotic world of RoboCop through the lens of 1987's political climate. The hosts dissect whether it’s a war movie or a satire of crime control, highlighting Verhoeven's critical tone. They tackle the film’s shocking violence and black humor, along with its portrayal of Detroit's urban decay. The conversation also touches on corporate villainy embodied by OCP, the moral complexities of its characters, and the implications of replacing human judgment with machine law enforcement. Prepare for a wild mix of action and social commentary!
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Urban Decay As Domestic War
- Robocop channels 1980s anxieties about urban decline, privatization, and militarized tech rather than traditional battlefield war.
- Verhoeven blends corporate power and street violence to show a domestic “urban war” as the film’s real conflict.
Satire And Savagery In One Tone
- Verhoeven deliberately mixes satire and brutal cartoon violence to make viewers uncertain how seriously to take the film.
- That tonal ambiguity lets the movie attack both corporate greed and street criminality simultaneously.
Why Cops Embraced RoboCop
- Police officers reportedly liked Robocop because he enacts the uncompromising proportionality they long for.
- Yet the film never lets Robocop embody vengeance, keeping him as an instrument of law rather than retribution.
