REVIEW: Chappie (15)

Short Circuit meets Robocop in Neill Blomkamp’s latest movie. From the director of District 9 (and this movie has a definite feel of that) Chappie (voiced by Sharlto Copley) is set in a world where robotic police men work with real humans to tackle the crime in South Africa. Although there are many actors in the movie – there is also the appearance of Hugh Jackman and Sigourney Weaver within the movie.

The movie starts with series of police robots going into battle against some of the gangland underworld and at one point one of the ‘droids get fired upon by rocket launcher and is damaged badly and gets sent for scrap. Meanwhile a group of designers – Deon (Dev Patel) and Vincent (Hugh Jackman) vie for the best robots. Deon provided the world with these police droids whereas Vincent Moore has an ED-209 style attack droid that can blast, fly and destroy anything in it’s path. Michelle Bradley (Sigourney Weaver), boss of the company, declines Moore’s combat droid in favour of the police droids.

While the invasion occurs with the police droids, Deon goes home and his long term research of creating a robot with sentient abilities comes to fruition. He heads back to work the following day to ask Michelle for permission to try it out and she gives him a big no – something Vincent Moore is used to.  

Over the other side of town the gangland thugs are in deep debt with a rival boss and owe him millions. One of the crew Yolandi suggests commandeering the robots and using them in a heist to get the millions they need for the underworld kingpin. Ninja (another thug) decides this is a good idea and they think of a way to get one.

As “Scout 22” is sent for scrap, Deon decides to take destiny into his own hands and steals “Scout 22” and goes to take him home to get him all Johnny 5’d up. But when the thugs intercept him and take Deona dn the droid to their headquarters they force him to create the robot there. Suddenly the robot comes alive, and a curious and scared as a baby he develops his own personality and learns about life the hard way.

 The movie is both thought provoking an entertaining – and the special effects are amazing. Jackman plays a great role as Moore and his distain for Deon being more successful than him. Chappie himself is a vulnerable naive character and it shows you quite graphically of what a child might experience growing up in sucha an environment. The movie is littered with f-bombs and not as family friendly as it may seem. The movie is well made, actors are great and the finale is great too. Chappie is immediately likeable and we want to see him do well but as he is fooled and lied to by various people and treated badly by others you can feel the emotion even though he’s just a robot. The ending is worth waiting for, and once again, Blomkamp has an interesting, thoughtful critique of modern society and it consequences of people’s actions.

POPSCORE – 8/10

 What am I talking about? Chappie (movie)Where can I find out more? http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/chappie/
If you like this try: Short Circuit 1 & 2, Robocop, District 9, Ex Machina or I, Robot. You could also argue Big Hero 6 to a certain extent.

Anything else?Neill Blomkamp is the director of District 9 which also is based in South Africa.