RoboCop
A murdered Detroit police officer is rebuilt as a corporate cyborg and turns his programmed authority against the corrupt system that created him.
Overview
In a dystopian future, a cyborg cop fights back against the corruption that created him.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- brutal
- sardonic
- darkly comic
- late night action marathon
- cult movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's inventive blend of brutal action, dark comedy, social satire, and Peter Weller's sympathetic performance, while some found its direction overdone.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Omni Consumer Products privatizes Detroit's police force while crime and social collapse dominate the city.
Corporate profiteering, televised commercials, and grotesque killings turn privatized policing into dark comic social critique.
RoboCop gradually reconnects with Officer Alex Murphy while functioning as an engineered police weapon.
The RoboCop suit, ED-209, explosions, and transformation effects give the futuristic action a tactile physical presence.
Films like RoboCop, and why
Blade Runner
Shares cyberpunk dystopia, corporate power, violent action, and satirical treatment of privatized technology.
The Terminator
Shares cyborg identity, relentless revenge-driven action, practical effects, and near-future technological anxiety.
Total Recall
Shares brutal science fiction action, corporate exploitation, body transformation, and dark social satire.
Videodrome
Shares transhumanist horror, graphic practical effects, technological experimentation, and bleak satire.
Movie Details
- Director
- Paul Verhoeven
- Release Date
- 1987-07-17
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (5985)
Cast
- Peter Weller
- Nancy Allen
- Dan O'Herlihy
- Ronny Cox
- Kurtwood Smith
- Miguel Ferrer
- Robert DoQui
- Ray Wise
- Felton Perry
- Paul McCrane
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, 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 RoboCop about?
- A murdered Detroit police officer is rebuilt as a corporate cyborg and turns his programmed authority against the corrupt system that created him.
- What is RoboCop like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of RoboCop as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is RoboCop violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in RoboCop as graphic.
- What did critics think of RoboCop?
- Critics broadly praised the film's inventive blend of brutal action, dark comedy, social satire, and Peter Weller's sympathetic performance, while some found its direction overdone.
- Which films are like RoboCop?
- Films with a similar feel include Blade Runner, The Terminator, Total Recall, and Videodrome.
- How long is RoboCop?
- RoboCop runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch RoboCop?
- In United States, RoboCop streams on Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
