Shis thsue: ( Behind the art: colour, canvas, and computer images (Y Superhero films in flux as stories change, characters evolve (¥ Can you feel the magic in the music? And more! Seen something worth sharing? Contact: Chery! Minns, Arts Editor Marts@theotherpress.ca www. theotherpress.ca ‘RoboCop’ is back 1n business » ‘RoboCop’ review Steven Cayer Senior Columnist he Detroit Police Department received a 1987's futuristic RoboCop. This year, ina remake of the film, a multinational conglomerate robot soldiers overseas to keep the peace in the year 2028. Meet Alex Murphy (played by Joel Kinnaman), a Detroit cop who's chasing down a ruthless crime boss named Antoine Vallon (Patrick Garrow). On Vallon’s orders, Murphy gets blown up bya car bomb, and the event changes his life forever. With consent from Alex’s wife Clara Murphy (Abbie Cornish), OmniCorp puts what is left of the cop into a high-tech suit. There are many differences between the original RoboCop : and the remake, such as the : story. The biggest difference in : the plot is that the new movie : focusses more on RoboCop’s 00000 : him and his actions. The whole : first-half of the movie was se _ | fantastic for this reason. welcome addition to the force in : humanity, and his family has much more of an impact on Another big difference between the two films is the : visual effects, which have grown named OmniCorp is sending its by leaps and bounds in the . : past 27 years. The new movie : has robot soldiers and drones : everywhere, just to look cool. : Interestingly, the original had : more graphically violent scenes : than the remake, something that rarely ever happens. I loved this movie because : it made you care about the man : inside the suit. Plus, the action : scenes were loud, plentiful, and : fast-paced, unlike the original ? movie. Whether or not you've : seen the original, you’re sure to : have a good time at RoboCop. Still of Gary Oldman and Joel Kinnaman in RoboCop // By Kerry Hayes Under the Feminist Microscope: The women of ‘RoboCop’ » From female sidekick to wife archetype PY Julia Siedlanowska | Staff Writer osé Padilha’s RoboCop remake is a Hollywood version that replaces a lot of the original kitschy charm of the first with a more in-depth look at RoboCop/Alex Murphy as a person. Although this new version of the film presents and cynicism than the old, it does a good job of highlighting the themes of the original— possibly making them more prevalent within the story, and definitely tweaking them to America’s current political situation. However, the loss of RoboCop’s female partner, Anne Lewis, is a big hit from a feminist perspective, as a significant focus of the film is shifted onto RoboCop’s wife, : who was practically nonexistent : in the original film. This is a : move that softens the story, : taking it away from its original : direction to cater to the young, : action-addicted audiences of : today. The original 1987 film by : Paul Verhoeven is potent and : cynical. It also pokes fun at : itself with humour at every : turn, a move the filmmakers : had to do to get an R-rating : instead of an X-rating. In one considerably less of the humour : scene, RoboCop saves a woman : from sexual assault and she : runs into his arms as if he were : her saviour. He responds with : a deadpan clinical response: : “You have suffered an emotional : : shock. I will notify a rape crisis : centre.” Her caricature of a : damsel in distress paired with : RoboCop’s nonchalant response : : make the moment comical. Robocop’s partner, : Lewis, is sexy, but ina sassy, : independent way. She looks at : RoboCop almost as a brother : rather than an intimidating : male presence. There is even a : funny role-reversal where she : teaches him how to aim his gun : and she takes the traditionally : masculine role of standing : behind him in the iconic : driving-range position. The Lewis character is : played by a man in the new : version, but the police chief is : played by a woman this time. : She is central to the new story : and is the only female character : ina position of power; however, : her position of power over the : male protagonist—rather thana : relationship of allies—removes : the sense of friendship and : camaraderie between the men : and women in the story. In the original, the two were like : Batman and female-Robin. In : the new version, it’s a boys’ : club, presided over by a tough : woman. The charm of Lewis is now : replaced by a greater presence : of RoboCop’s wife, who only : exists as “the wife of RoboCop” : and has no agency of her own : in the story. In the original, : she thinks her husband Alex is : dead and chooses to start her : life over. In the new film, Clara : Murphy is seen in the kitchen : with her son, waiting for her : husband to come home; finally, : : we see her crying and making : the decision to sell her husband : : to keep him alive as a robot. For : : the rest of the film, she fights : with deep faith and devotion to : get back the man she married. In both versions you : can enjoy questions on : privatization, propaganda, : capitalism, and human rights. : The new version also explores : neocolonialism, opening (in : an appropriately modern way) : ina Middle Eastern country, : testing out new law-enforcing : drones that won't “risk the lives : of asingle American.” Both : versions ring true to current : issues society is facing and are : supremely entertaining, but : [miss the camaraderie and : agency of the female partner : from the first. The shift in focus from an ally to a wife is telling : of how the filmmakers want to see women today—or more accurately, how they want us to : see women. This is also telling of how many tickets they want : to sell by appealing to the : How have we suddenly reverted : : back to the ever-faithful wife : archetype? masses comfortable with this : version of awoman’s place in : society. They might have been : surprised what a non-overtly : sexualized Lewis might have : done for revenue. I guess they’ll : never know until they’re man : enough to try.