A second trailer of the upcoming RoboCop has just been released, depicting the remake as overtly action-packed, violence-ridden and rapidly cut as the original film. Yet what the film appears to lack in groundbreaking storytelling technique it may make up for in political relevance, as the clip below looks to reveal subtle plot distinctions from the original by taking aim at current issues such as drone usage and governmental surveillance.
In the clip, villainous television host Pat Novak, played by Samuel L. Jackson, preaches passionately to his audience about the undeniable benefits of robotechnology, asking, “What if I told you that even the worst neighborhood in America could be made completely safe? How do I know this? Because it’s happening right now in every country in the world but this one… So then tell me, why can’t we use these machines here at home… Why is America so robophobic?”
Jose Padilha (Elite Squad, Bus 174) directed the film which, in addition to Jackson, stars Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, Leon: The Professional, Batman Begins) as Dr. Dennett Norton, and Michael Keaton (Batman, Jackie Brown, Beetlejuice), as greed-ridden business robo-industry tycoon, Raymond Sellars. Joel Kinnaman is also on as the title character.
According to THR, Padilha spoke on the film’s above-mentioned political applicability at Comic-Con this past July:
We are more and more in a country where Robocop is relevant. You will see robots in wars… The first film saw it way back then. Now we have more knowledge and we know it’s coming true. First we are going to use machines abroad, then we are gong to use machines at home.
Produced and distributed by MGM and Sony, RoboCop is set to hit US theaters on February 12, 2014.
Leave a Comment