The 2014 remake ofRoboCopis disappointing in many ways, but one behind-the-scenes detail makes its failure even more disheartening by showing how good it could have been. TheRoboCopremake is, simply put, not a great film. It’s often listed among theworst science fiction reboots of all time, and it only has 49% onRotten Tomatoes. Given the popularity and cult-classic status of Paul Verhoeven and Peter Weller’s original 1987 film,RoboCop2014 was a major disappointment. Even Alex Murphy actorJoel Kinnaman tried to explain whyRoboCop2014 was a failure.
There are plenty ofreasons whyRoboCopwas a bad remake, but one of them unfortunately proved that the movie could have been great. There’s usually a wide range of factors that turn a good idea into an underwhelming final product. Everything from difficult developments to outside influences like poor marketing and a bad release date can help undermine a movie that started out well. Studio interference is one such factor, and it tends to be one of the most common.RoboCopsuffered from it, and the studio’s interference limited a director who could have perfectly modernized the original movie’s social commentary and satire.
Director José Padilha’s Previous Work Made Him Perfect For A RoboCop Reboot
The director of theRoboCopremake, José Padilha, was a perfect pick for the film, at least on paper. Padilha was largely chosen to directRoboCopbecause of his previous work onElite SquadandElite Squad 2: The Enemy Within, both of which were massive hits in Brazillian cinema.BothElite Squadmovies were also incredibly reminiscent of the originalRoboCop: they provided extremely grim social commentary about the corruption of the police in Rio de Janeiro, and the brutality of the city’s criminals.Elite Squadseemed like a proof of concept that Padilha could nailRoboCop, but that isn’t what happened.
RoboCop (2014) Clearly Went Through A Lot Of Studio Meddling
RoboCop’s Development Was “The Worst Experience Of His Life” For Padilha
One of the many reasonsRoboCopfailed to be a hit was because MGM, the studio behind the remake, got overly involved in Padilha’s creative process.City of Goddirector Fernando Meirelles said that Padilha had called him and described the production ofRoboCopas “the worst experience of his life,” and that 90% of his ideas for the film were shot down by studio executives (viaFolha de S. Paulo).
For anything he wants, he has to fight. He said: ‘This is hell, Fernando. The film will be good, but I’ve never suffered so much and I don’t want to do it again’. He’s bitter, poor thing, but he’s a fighter.
RoboCop’s budget also helps explain why Padilha’s creative freedom was cut off at the knees. At $100 million, with some sources saying as high as $130 million,RoboCopwas a massive expense.MGM likely wanted to ensure it could recoup its money, which essentially precluded it from being an R-rated movie like the original. The problem is that a lot of what made the originalRoboCopgreat wouldn’t have been possible without an R-rating. It, like the reboot, would have had no intense body horror, no close examination of corporate greed and corruption, and just a general lack of edge.
It seems like MGM took away all of Padilha’s andRoboCop’s bite in favor of starting a franchise to rival the MCU.
The originalRoboCopfeels, in many ways, like something you’re not supposed to watch. It feels raw, angry, gritty, grimy, and 100 other counter-cultural adjectives. TheRoboCopremake, however, feels overly sanitized and polished to a shine, like someone in a suit put their seal of approval on every frame.There are a few moments in Padilha’s movie that have the punch of the originalRoboCop, such as the reveal of Murphy’s body, but they just don’t live up to the 1987 version’s edginess. It seems like MGM took away all of Padilha’s andRoboCop’s bite in favor of starting a franchise to rival the MCU.
The RoboCop Reboot Wasted A Great Director And A Star-Studded Cast
RoboCop Starred Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Gary Oldman, Joel Kinnaman, & More But Wasted Them All
The most disappointing thing about theRobocopremake wasn’t the great story and characters it had to work with, but the great director and cast it wasted.Robocopstarred some of the finest actors in Hollywood, including Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Joel Kinnaman, Abbie Cornish, and more. Padilha was also clearly the right pick to recapture the grittiness and edge of the original film, yetRobocopwasted both him and its actors. TheRobocopremake could have been a hit with so much star power attached, but it all just fell flat.
Will Another RoboCop Sequel Ever Happen?
It’s been 10 years since the RoboCop remake was released, but will a direct sequel to the original film series ever be released?
WhileRoboCop2014 certainly had its problems, there were also a few bright spots in the film that hinted at just how good the reboot could have been. Padilha made some excellent critiques of the news media that Samuel L. Jackson’s character delivered perfectly, and there were inklings that the film would criticize the United States' involvement in the Middle East. Unfortunately, there were also a lot of moments that seemed blunted in comparison to the original, and the 2014 remake ofRoboCopcouldn’t overcome its behind-the-scenes drama.
RoboCop
Cast
RoboCop, released in 2014, is set in 2028 and explores OmniCorp’s ambition to integrate robot technology into American law enforcement. When Detroit police officer Alex Murphy is critically injured, OmniCorp seizes the opportunity to create a part-man, part-robot officer, aiming for widespread deployment and profit.
