For a man who for the majority of his career did quirky, independent films, Irvin Kershner was a genius at doing blockbusters. Of course, his greatest and most famous film was the indomitable Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. But before he ended his cinematic career, he managed to create another fantastic sequel: RoboCop 2. Yes, yes, I understand the film's criticisms from both a fanboy and critical standpoint. It did erase all of the development from the first film by turning him back into an emotionless machine. The foul-mouthed youth Hob was indeed a bit over the top. But what RoboCop 2 did manage was to explore ethical and moral areas untouched by the first film. The first RoboCop focused on the inherent tragedy of the titular character losing and regaining his humanity. The sequel explores the question of who has the power to control such a weapon. Can it really "belong" to anybody if it can potentially be controlled by evil corporate thugs? Many people criticized the film for its increased violence. But I think they were missing Kershner's point. In a world controlled by privatized interests, whether criminal or corporate, human lives become worthless and meaningless. I could literally go on for pages about why I believe this film should be remembered as fondly as the original. But the simplest reason is that Kershner managed to explore new philosophical grey areas within the confines of a sci-fi action film. And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is worth admiration.
8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment