I was barely old enough to catch
Paul Verhoeven’s ROBOCOP in theatres back in 1987. Shocking for its violence, the offbeat sci-fi
flick was a surprise blockbuster and warranted frequent rental on VHS in my
neck of the woods.
It took a while to appreciate
the Dutch director’s dark satire. Yes,
the movie was true to Edward Neumeier’s story of a human policeman turned into
a technological crime-fighting machine—but Verhoeven was also concerned with what
it meant to be human in a dystopia where corrupt corporations make backroom
deals with crooked politicians and constituent / consumers numb themselves with
narcotics and schlock television.
