RoboCop (1987)

The film is a thriller with a difference, blending comedy, romance, philosophy and social satire around the question of what constitutes a man. Verhoeven and star Peter Weller create sympathy for the half-human, half-machine protagonist through his mechanical voice and gradual reclamation of identity.

The critic praises the film as a broad, rude-tempered satire of 1980s corporate America and Reaganomics that pairs vulgar action with pointed social commentary, highlighting its vivid depiction of a dehumanizing future and Verhoeven’s skilled vulgarity.

The critic finds RoboCop a shrewdly enjoyable and politically intelligent film of comic-book violence that also parodies it, functioning as a sophisticated anthology of American archetypes with a European twist from Metropolis. It praises the script's intelligence on privatisation and corporate power while noting disappointment in characterisation.

Verhoeven combines a grimly futuristic mood with the ethos of a vintage western in this story of a man who loses and reclaims his identity after being turned into a cyborg cop. The director incorporates human sentiments and high-tech capabilities into a single ingenious figure while playing them off against each other in a thoroughly involving way.

The review describes Verhoeven's blend of comic strip and snuff movie as vile, violent, and very funny, with breakneck pace and way-out weaponry that keeps the appalled excitement burning when the wit runs out.

The critic praises Verhoeven's satirical take on corporatism and totalitarianism, noting how the director's technical skill and love of mayhem elevate the film above typical sci-fi action. It is described as a sardonic but perfectly realised depiction of a violence-filled near-future.

The critic calls Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 sci-fi satire a sophisticated masterpiece and brilliant commentary on Detroit and corporate America. They single out the film’s subversive black comedy, set pieces like the boardroom demo, and its enduring frisson as the key strengths in this director’s-cut re-release.

The critic calls the film a well-crafted sci-fi actioner that should perform strongly at the box office, praising its anti-corporate satire, futuristic newscasts, and especially its technical achievements in production design, cinematography, and the Robocop suit.

The critic calls the 1987 film a multi-layered masterpiece and the pinnacle of 80s sci-fi action, praising its blend of graphic violence, philosophical depth on identity and humanity, and sharp social satire on capitalism and media.

The piece hails RoboCop as one of the best films of the 1980s for seamlessly combining corporate satire, violent action, black comedy, sci-fi themes of mortality and technology, and crime story elements, with praise for its philosophical soul and precise focus.