Review of Chappie (2015) by Ahnehnois — 06 Mar 2015

I don't get the negative press, I really don't. This movie's take on AI isn't exactly the most scientifically accurate portrayal, but as a fun popcorn movie, Chappie takes a little bit of cerebral, a larger bit of Neill Blomkamp action, and a lot of South African weirdness. If you're expecting just a cameo from South African rappers Die Antwoord, you're wrong. They're surprisingly in focus.

There are more than a few plot holes and writing mistakes, but it's largely made up for by how compelling the on-screen reality is. Neill Blomkamp directed the heck out of this movie. If he ever gets a really brilliant script, he'll make a great movie. As a writer, he's too eager to please a crowd and not eager enough to answer its questions.

Given how hard it reportedly was to make a film with non-actors, this may be the only Die Antwoord sci-fi action thriller we ever see. However, they are impossible to duplicate, and the sheer absurdity of watching them prance around unironically in skimpy Americana, juxtaposed against an entirely convincing emancipated police robot learning to think, makes the movie work. It isn't quite as exciting as District 9, but it's far less ponderous and heavy-handed than Elysium. Go watch it and have some fun.