RoboCop 3 (1993)

Directed by Fred Dekker. Starring Robert John Burke, Jill Hennessy, CCH Pounder, John Castle, Nancy Allen, Stephen Root, Daniel von Bargen, Remy Ryan, Bradley Whitford, Stanley Anderson, Rip Torn, Felton Perry, Mako, Robert DoQui, Bruce Locke. [PG-13]

Uninspired retread with a “twist”—RoboCop (played this time by Burke) is reprogrammed by a resistance group and scientist Hennessy to fight against law enforcement (at least, a corrupt and privatized limb of law enforcement). Dumb comic book-style action fodder only occasionally attempts the satirical edge that made the first film more than just an ultraviolent programmer (and speaking of ultraviolence, don’t look for it here, since this entry was neutered for a family-friendly PG-13 rating). Budget restraints are evident at frequent intervals, never more so than the climax when the hero flies around on a jetpack, but even if the money was there for large-scale spectacle (and the script by the director and Frank Miller had more wit, substance, and ingenuity), the main issue can’t be overcome: the RoboCop/Murphy character is set, his arc complete, so he can’t function as anything more than just a generic overpowered watchdog. Also, the concept of ninja cyborgs may have sounded neat on the page, but they sure looks ridiculous on the screen. Filmed in 1991, its release was delayed due to production company Orion Pictures’ bankruptcy.

30/100