Review of RoboCop 3 (1993) by Dennis L — 13 Apr 2013

This is one of those films that is so hated beyond reason that it is amazing. When approaching this film for the first time, I was very aware of the criticisms given towards it. It is hard to avoid how hated this move is. I put off seeing this film for years. After finally seeing this film, I have to say that people's complaints are about as 2-dimensional as they come. They complain the actor is different: out of all the iconic roles, this one can easily be handled by another actor. Peter Weller is amazing, but playing a robot with a heart and a concealed face can be accomplished by another actor (and he wont even look different). People complain that he can have a gun on his arm or get a jetpack--he is mostly machine and this one is set in the far future, so those arguments are invalid. People complain this is a boring people revolution film--you mean the plot-line that the first fil, sets up and is the entire premise of OCP.

In reality, this is the only of the sequels to fulfill the promise made in the first one: to explore the humanity remaining in Robocop and really delve into the corruption of complete and total power (Delta City). Unlike the second or even most of the first film, this one has heart AND stakes. Ann Lewis' death isn't spontaneous, but built up with real purpose. It is the moment that defines Robocop as a human inside the machine. The Pg-13ness of it doesn't matter because this isn't an action film. It is a political sci-fi film. And I am sorry, but Anne Lewis' "PG-13" death is more powerful than any death in either of the first two movies. People are upset by Robocop not killing endless amounts of "scum"--that's because this isn't about that. This one is through and through about Robocop finding his humanity. It deals with real issues rather than being a smart, tongue-in-cheek action comedy. It isn't even about Robocop. It is about the world of Robocop.

Is this a B-movie? Yes, but if you think the first two are not such, than you aren't paying attention. So why is this so hated...its because no one expected or wanted a Robocop movie like this. People never like getting what they don't expect or hope for. If people could just remove their obsession from the first one, they could see that this isn't about being another Robocop movie. This is a film that is the best kind of sequel. It takes what worked about the first and goes in an entirely new direction. There can never be another Robocop, and why would you want a rehash? This film takes elements of the first and reworks them for a new purpose. Much like Dark Knight Rises, people expected a Batman 3, but instead got a dystopian sci-film set in Gotham. This doesn't make it bad. It makes it different.