Chappie
A newly conscious police robot is forced into a criminal upbringing while rival engineers fight to control the future of artificial intelligence.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- irreverent
- chaotic
- earnest
- robot movie night
- science fiction double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film visually ambitious and entertaining but undermined by clunky writing, implausible motivations, and confused ideas.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Chappie begins as a newly awakened robot and learns language, behavior, loyalty, and violence from the humans around him.
The film repeatedly connects artificial intelligence with the possibility of transferring or preserving human identity.
Johannesburg's police rely on Tetravaal robots, while rival projects and criminal groups compete to control increasingly powerful machines.
The film contrasts highly engineered police robots and experimental AI with Johannesburg's rough industrial and criminal environments.
Films like Chappie, and why
District 9
shares dystopian science fiction, militarized robotics, social inequality, and gritty action spectacle
Ex Machina
shares artificial intelligence, robot personhood, corporate control, and philosophical science fiction themes
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
shares childlike artificial intelligence, identity formation, and emotionally earnest robot drama
RoboCop
shares police robots, corporate technology, violent crime, and satirical dystopian action
Movie Details
- Director
- Neill Blomkamp
- Release Date
- 2015-03-04
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (8690)
Cast
- Sharlto Copley
- Dev Patel
- Hugh Jackman
- Ninja
- Yo-Landi Visser
- Sigourney Weaver
- Chris Shields
- Anderson Cooper
- Jose Pablo Cantillo
- Brandon Auret
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Chappie about?
- A newly conscious police robot is forced into a criminal upbringing while rival engineers fight to control the future of artificial intelligence.
- What is Chappie like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Chappie as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Chappie violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Chappie as brutal.
- What did critics think of Chappie?
- Critics broadly found the film visually ambitious and entertaining but undermined by clunky writing, implausible motivations, and confused ideas.
- Which films are like Chappie?
- Films with a similar feel include District 9, Ex Machina, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, and RoboCop.
- How long is Chappie?
- Chappie runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Chappie?
- In United States, Chappie is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex.
