Robocop 2

He's back!

RoboCop 2 is probably the most under-rated and most harshly criticized sequel in history (tying with Predator 2, which came out the same year). Because of a few missing elements from the first and a slightly more cartoonish approach to the violence, the critics and public alike were not pleased and opinions and feelings toward the franchise nosedived with the just plain awful RoboCop 3.

Don't con yourself out of a good movie though. RoboCop 2 still has the same savage sense of humor, cynical social commentary and character pathos of the first film. It's a hyper-realistic vision of an America populated by gun-loving psychos, a democracy owned by big business and the poverty-stricken addicted to drugs dealt to them by peddlers believing themselves to be the second coming of Christ.

Far-fetched could be the typical way of describing it. Completely-over-the-top would be more appropriate. Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner chucks in as much sadistic violence, deafening gunfire, endless destruction and loss of human life that the film just begs you not to take it so seriously.

I so loved the promo art for the film!

There were some cool cardboards out there in video rental stores.

Some of the blame was placed on writer Frank Miller for the film being more cartoonish than the original. I don't think this is very fair. I read Miller's original script when I was in high school and it is rather different and, dare I say, unfilmable. RoboCop 2 himself was not Nuke Lord Caine, the psychotic hippie with delusions of Godhood. He was called Kong, a psychotic cop who pretty much killed everybody he came across. Sgt. Reed and the Old Man died too, and there wasn't much humor. Screenwriter Walon Green was hired to doctor the script and much of what appears on screen is actually his work. Frank Miller's original ideas are pretty much just left as the framework for the whole movie and some of his story was recycled into RoboCop 3 (don't blame him for that one either). Miller was obviously upset with this but was still a good enough sport to appear in the film (keep a lookout for him playing Doctor Frank), though he vowed not to work in Hollywood again for fear of being taken advantage of. Until Robert Rodriguez promised to make good on his Sin City graphic novels.

Verhoven may be gone but Irvin Kershner tries hard to deliver the same mix of mirth and magic and actually does get it right. Basil Poledouris' brooding score is also gone (it returns in RoboCop 3) but new composer Leonard Rosenman creates a wonderfully heroic and upbeat theme that suits the film more than Poledouris' moody, tormented score to the first.

Call for back up Murphy!

I told you!

There have also been many complaints that the humanity of RoboCop and his relationship with Lewis was neutered along with too many other ideas fighting for screen time. I get why most would be annoyed by this but you have to remember that films need to be economic when it comes to length. If every single idea was fully explored and fleshed-out RoboCop 2 would have been 4 hours long. In my opinion each thread has just enough for keen viewers and fans to appreciate. Lazy viewers only see what they want to see and I feel that this has led to many of the negative reviews the film has been met with (which usually comment on how "offensive" the character of Hob is-sheesh, gimme a break). And don't give me that the "humanity" of the first film is gone. Murphy has not resigned to being a machine. He lies to pacify OCP. Pay attention to the very last line of dialogue in the film if you want proof.

Filmed once again in Texas, Houston this time, you really have to feel for Peter Weller walking around in that Robosuit. It must have weighed a ton and he'd be sweating bucketloads inside. There is a particular scene in the film where Murphy is tortured into near-death/destruction that is very hard to watch. But it does lead to him getting a brand-new makeover and those crazy new directives put into his head. The bit where he lectures the Little League kids and scolds the youngsters playing by the leaky fire hydrant (after quoting some very suspicious philosophy) is hilarious.

Enter Robocop 2.

I'm gonna add you some fingering/fisting upgrades to your program.

RoboCop 2 is a great movie. Despite harsh criticisms of the script and story and some slightly dated stop-motion effects it's a brilliant sequel that lives up to expectations. Do listen to the nay-Sayers. I don't know what kind of film they were expecting.

Now let's go behind camera and check some awesome Robocop 2 trivia:

Paul Verhoeven's no.

After the success of RoboCop (1987), director Paul Verhoeven and the original screen writers were approached for a sequel by the studio immediately. According to Verhoeven, he wasn't yet ready to make a sequel and wanted to wait until a proper script was written. He felt going forward so quickly would make it feel like he was attempting to cash in on a product. The studio did not agree, and hired Frank Miller to quickly write a new script and implement his own ideas. Ultimately the film failed, and Paul Verhoeven stated that had the studio gone with his ideas, it was far better than what was presented. 

Smoking kills.

The scene in which RoboCop opens fire around the head of someone who is smoking, after which he says 'Thank you for not smoking', was actually licensed and run as a public service announcement ahead of several different films in many non-smoking movie theaters during the summer movie season that year.  

Detroit goes bankrupt.

The City of Detroit is depicted as being cash-strapped where OCP owns the entire metropolitan area - as life imitating art, the City of Detroit filed for Chapter 9 Bankruptcy on July 18, 2013 with an estimated $18 - $20 billion debt. 

Violence? what violence?

Comic book adaptation.

Robocop, the comic book.

 

Although the producers loved Frank Miller's original version of the script, they quickly realized it was unfilmable as written. The final screen version was heavily rewritten and bears only a superficial resemblance to Miller's story. In 2003, Miller's screenplay was adapted into a comic book series titled, appropriately, "Frank Miller's RoboCop".  

Date East Arcade.

When RoboCop is in the Arcade, the majority of the video games are created by Data East. Data East was the creator behind the RoboCop video games. 

Robocop VS Frank Miller VS Irvin Kershner.

Peter Weller criticized the script, saying it lacked the spine and the soul of the original. Weller tried to convince Frank Miller, Irvin Kershner and the film's producers that the third act needed a morality angle instead of being just a shoot 'em up. The producers felt the battle between Robocop and Cain was sufficient.  

V for Vendettacop.

Alan Moore was originally offered the chance to write the film but turned it down. 

The Nintendo NES official videogame.

The spectacular arcade videogame.

Deleted Scenes.

Many scenes were deleted from the movie for various reasons: . Robocop walking through police station locker room where he sees a naked police woman showering and, after looking at her for a few seconds, walks away.

Robocop's hallucination scene after he is dismantled by Cain's men, where he dreams of visiting his own grave. . A few scenes with Cain that explained his character more, including a scene where he and Angie visit Dr. Faxx to discuss robotics, thus planting the seed for the most likely candidate to donate to Robocop 2's construction. In the same deleted scene, Cain confronts a Robocop mock-up in the OCP's reception area.

An extended scene where the store keeper who got robbed by the baseball team kids screams at Robocop for letting them get away, with Robocop grabbing him by the throat, saying a few words about the storekeeper's "harsh value judgment" then dropping him on the floor.

A scene where Robocop finds out that Cain is inside the Robocop 2 cyborg, interfacing with Dr. Faxx's computer and going through her files.

Rated X.

Also, just like with first movie, some scenes were cut down to avoid an X rating by MPAA. Although one workprint version is available that includes some of the deleted scenes, there was never any uncut version of the movie with all deleted scenes.  

Overall, Robocop 2 as a standalone movie, may have its flaws, but when watched as a part of the Robocop Trilogy it looks and sounds way better. Despite the fact, that the trilogy doesn't not begin an official plot that would be ended by the third film, the whole idea of OCP, a powerful & mean corporation running a bankrupt city crowded with crime, remains throughout the three films.  Another stand out point of this sequel is the fact that they worked with actual comic book authors! Frank Miller & Alan Moore (who didn't take the offer) are perhaps two of the most respected men among the Comic Book/Graphic Novel circles. 

Here's the movie trailer:

Here the above mentioned deleted scenes:

Here the "thank you for not smoking" Theaters ad:

Here the Nintendo NES videogame adaptation:

And last but not least, the Official Arcade adaptation: