There’s this old rule that the sequel must be far inferior to the original. There are numerous examples of this rule. However, what nobody is talking about is that those sequels are oftentimes still worth watching. They still have something to offer even if they’re not as good as the original. And the same goes for the movie we’re going to be talking about today. RoboCop 2 features a weaker story but more action and better practical effects. Moreover, both Peter Weller and Nancy Allen are starring again, this time joined by horror legend Tom Noonan who plays Cain, the main villain.
The humor also remained the same, cynical and black, just the way I like it. Granted, it’s a little bit more on the nose this time, pushing the template to the max. This is why it sometimes feels like a parody of a parody. In fact, RoboCop 2 also feels more like a remake than a sequel as all the main elements from the original are present and accounted for. This could actually be a good thing. As the old saying goes if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. Probably the only new element in the whole story is the introduction of a dangerous drug Nuke and Cain, a vicious criminal hellbent on spreading it everywhere.
Welcome to the world of tomorrow! Ruthless corporations are planning to formally take over the reins of power and nowhere is that more obvious than in Detroit. Crime is rampant and the corrupt city officials along with the police force are powerless to stop it. RoboCop is still on the streets but he’s just one man, I mean, one part man, part machine. And so, the stage is set for an epic fight between the good and the evil, once again. And once again, he will have to face off against dangerous killers, evil corporations, and giant killer robots. What’s not to love about that?
Directed by the visionary director Paul Verhoeven, RoboCop was a smash hit. Not just because of its jarring visuals, thought-provoking plot, and excellent performances but also because it was just so damn entertaining. RoboCop 2 decided to take that entertainment factor to a whole new level. The shootouts will be longer and there will be more of them and the same goes for the chase scenes. In fact, the final fight consists of fifteen minutes of pure carnage. The carnage that will spread from the top of the buildings right down to the filthy sewers. At this point, I should also mention the quality of the special effects.
The original features stunning make-up and practical effects that stood the test of time. However, the stop-motion animation feels a bit janky and outdated. Here, both the practical and special effects, which were done on a fucking Amiga, look excellent. The stop-motion animation felt more natural, Miniatures did most of the work while there was also a full-size model of RoboCain weighing more than 800 pounds. And where do I begin with that monstrosity? The killer robots from the original, ED-209 were kind of funny but this one was no laughing matter.
Incredibly complex and menacing it’s one of the best killer robots to grace the big screen. I highly recommend you watch this clip of Phil Tippet, a special effects legend, explaining the process and showing off the RoboCain back in 2014. Heavy metal RoboCop suit was replaced by a fiberglass one, enabling Weller to move more freely. Plus, it looks really shiny and chrome. On the other hand, the character development was simply atrocious. There will be several underdeveloped or highly annoying characters. The worst offender is a 10-year-old kid who’s supposed to be a leader of a gang. I mean, really, come on?
He wouldn’t stand a chance against Clarence Boddicker and his thugs. However, the blue gun he’s wielding is pretty intriguing. UC-9 AKA Under Cover 9mm is a real folding submachine gun, designed to not look like a standard machine gun. At least the mayor of Detroit, Marvin Kuzak, played by Willard E. Pugh, was hilarious if a bit too straightforward. In another bizarre twist of faith, the real city of Detroit actually declared bankruptcy back in 2013 after accruing more than $20 billion (with a B) of debt. RoboCop 2 could’ve been a much better movie if only the studios were willing to wait a bit. Verhoeven, Neumeier, and Miner, already had a rough draft of RoboCop: Corporate Wars.
Just to give you a taste of it, the opening scenes feature the complete murder and destruction of RoboCop. Some 25 years later, he’s brought back to life in an even more dystopian version of Detroit. At some point, there was even an idea to turn this into a movie, RoboCop Returns. As of 2023, Amazon owns the rights to the franchise and they’re looking to make a new television show and not a movie. Which is a shame because this script is pretty awesome and you can still find it online. RoboCop 3 is barely watchable but RoboCop 2014 is a solid and pretty dark movie. Oh yeah, make sure you check out the Remastered version of RoboCop 2, it looks freaking amazing.
Director: Irvin Kershner
Writers: Edward Neumeier, Michael Miner, Frank Miller
Cast: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Belinda Bauer, Tom Noonan, Dan O’Herlihy, Willard E. Pugh
Fun Facts: While RoboCop uses an MS-DOS as his operating system, RoboCain uses an Apple OS with a skull instead of an apple.
Rating:
IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100502/
