RoboCop - Thoughts

The RoboCop reboot is easily my most anticipated movie in recent times; after all if I had to pick a favorite action star, it’s RoboCop. The world may love the likes of Superman and Batman, but to me, if there ever were a collectible model action figure I’d like to have, its RoboCop; would proudly have it displayed on the mantle atop the fireplace. The original RoboCop from 1987 is nothing short of a cult classic, with its legions of fans. Set in the not so distant future, in the crime capital of the world Detroit, fatally wounded office Alex Murphy is rebuilt as a cybernetic super-cop; a one of a kind experimental project. That said, the 2014 reboot changes a good deal of that, making Alex Murphy’s RoboCop avatar as the first half-human half-robot, in the companies struggle to change congresses’ opinion, of its robotic peace keeping force.

After much waiting, and many a trailer, RoboCop was finally released in theaters in Chennai, India in Feb 2014. True to its legacy, it opened directly with the movie, that too a television segment, before the title credits came up. Classic RoboCop! Some of the obvious changes that I was aware of from the trailer, was the agility of the new Robocop, as the original Robocop could not run. While this didn't sit well with me during the trailers, it seemed to go okay during the course of the movie. Not only has movie making magic changed considerably and improved in the last 2 decades, but so has expectations of cybernetics, and in keeping with those expectation, the all new Robocop is quick, nimble, and downright athletic. The changes though, don’t stop there. While the original RoboCop movie was violent, bloody, and set in a ruthless Detroit city, where crime was just outta control, now we see a lot more plausible future, more like today, with fancier gadgets, and more smart devices. Crime if far from chaotic, and though there are anti-social elements, the vision of the future isn't stretched as much. Thanks to this, and the addition of the deep family and emotional element, the 2014 reboot is a lot more polished, and softer as a package. I can totally see the family element, and the wife and son bond working with audiences looking for emotional depth. It seems like this new iteration is intended for a much wider target audience, versus its previous brethren. Last but not least is the change of the core plot, from a straight forward revenge story, to a complex game of corporate politics, and revenue play. Action and sci-fi fans will quite enjoy RoboCop, as will existing RoboCop fans who have an open and accepting mind to change. If you’re hell bent on every aspect of the original though, the reboot will be a bit of a letdown, as the movie is more real and suited for wider appeal, in turn losing out on the grit of the original.

The centerpiece and star of the  RoboCop franchise is the narrative delivery and the special effect, the performances are too, but not as much as traditional films. On that count, RoboCop certainly excels. Joel Kinnaman plays the role of Alex Murphy and RoboCop. Frankly I have not seen any of his work and this to me was pretty much like a first. He did a decent job, especially with a good deal of the acting being limited to facial expressions, which he seemed to nail all the time. Abbie Cornish played his wife Clara Murphy, who did an outstanding job as his loving wife. A good deal of the emotional intensity of the movie is carried by her and her deep portrayal of their love. Her filmography is a little more familiar as compared to Kinnaman, but nothing that I can specifically remember. But even going by just this one performance, she did admirably. The rest of the cast included heavyweights such as Gary Oldman, Samuel L Jackson, and the original Batman, Michael Keaton. Needless to say, they did justice to their characters, flawlessly. Michael K. Williams played his partner Lewis, only that in the original RoboCop, Murphy’s partner was Anne Lewis, and now it’s Jack Lewis. Beats me why they switched his female partner with a male Lewis. And if you were wondering, yes, RoboCop’s arch rival, the ED-209 (Enforcement Droid Series 209) is back too; only leaner and meaner!

As mentioned, I watched this one in the theater. Picture was clear, and the digital experience made for a sharp high definition viewing experience. A good part of the movie was during the day, so lighting was good, and even the scenes at night had good visibility. Positional sound was noticeable, but it was just complementary to the scenes, and didn't really blow me away. From a technical elements perspective, RoboCop delivered, but it wasn't ground breaking. The original theme score was present, with a slight new twist, and that was very welcome. Special effects and the near future of mankind were impressive, and desirable. 

My Recommendation: Watch It + (The new and improved, 2014 RoboCop)

Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa - Thoughts

I don’t think I paid much attention to the Madagascar movies when they released, just assuming that they were aimed at kids. In the years that followed, I had the opportunity to work on the content of parts 1 and 2, for a multimedia project, and that’s when I realized how truly awesome and funny they were, being fully suited for witty adult audiences. At the time, part 3 hadn’t released as yet, and I made a mental note to watch the first two parts. After watching the first part about 6 months before, I got around to part 2 last night, Escape 2 Africa, in which the 4 English speaking animal friends are off to yet another adventure, this time to Africa, where Alex the lion is reunited with his parents.

For starters, if anyone is of the belief that Madagascar is for kids, you need to change that opinion, as it’s incredibly funny and aimed at audience of all ages. With smart dialog, it’s guaranteed to be a hit with the older audiences, while comical animated characters will ensure the children are amused too. Hats off to directors Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, who have managed to blend the two so seamlessly, that it’s hard to notice them apart. Unlike some of the cartoons which have long musical pieces, like the Lion King and Aladdin, Madagascar manages to keep it crisp, with short musical bits, with influences from modern catchy pop music, and some classics, appropriately used to keep the momentum going and not stray off into musical genre territory. Simply put, the 1 and a half hour cartoon was non-stop entertainment, and the pace was fabulous, never dropping off or getting boring. To the contrary, there were so many gripping and standout moments that had me glued. Though the plot was simple, there were many touching, deep moments, which stirred emotion. Add to all that greatness, the incredible animation; the sights and sounds just looked awesome. Especially on a big screen in HD, Madagascar 2 proved to be a visual spectacle, with the animation quality and CGI rendering being breathtaking. It’s fair to say that as an experience overall I was just floored. If you need a movie that great for family or friends, that’s super funny an entertaining, and just great in all ways, Madagascar 2 is the way to go.  For me it was Goosebumps galore!

All the characters of Madagascar 2 are memorable and lovable. As much as Alex the lion is the center of the story, so many other supporting characters are meticulously planned, and then gloriously delivered to create a character sets that’s just super entertaining. For example, the penguins are cool as ever, and operate slick and smooth. In addition to being my favorite Madagascar characters, I think the elements they bring to the character matrix of the movie is superb, and speaks volumes of the detail and planning that went into the creation process. Similarly, King Julien is a total nut job, but also a key element and a solid addition to the cast. It’s worth noting that the voiceovers for the characters are done by an all-star cast including, Ben stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer (of Friends fame), Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen (of Borat fame), Alec Baldwin, Will I Am, and Andy Richter (of Late Night with Conan O’Brien fame).

The content I was watching was a 720p, HD rip from BlueRay. Video was incredible, and it was one of the few times I could not perceive any noticeable degradation, though it was a rip. That said, the BlueRay may take quality even higher. Colors were warm, and visuals were sharp and clear. I quite honestly loved the way it looked on a big screen, full HD, Plasma TV. Sound was presented by means of a 6 channel, Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Dialog was clear, and in Madagascar, that’s very important, as the impact of the awesome humor is largely dialog dependent. Audio sequences were great, and many scenes were complemented with memorable music, including More Than a Feeling by Boston. The combination of a big screen and a well-endowed home theatre sound system, coupled with solid tech elements from the movie, ensured for an immersive adventure in an African reserve.

My Recommendation: Kick Ass (An animated comedy extravaganza)