Writer: Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell (Screenplay)
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver, Brandon Auret
Plot: In the near future, crime is patrolled by a mechanized police force. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: I, Robot: South Africa
Story: Chappie starts in Johannesburg, South Africa where the new robotic police force has taken over the city. We meet the staff of Tetavaal who produce the police robots, we have the CEO Michelle Bradley (Weaver), weapons excerpt Vincent Moore (Jackman) and chief designer Deon Wilson (Patel), as the team who keep the bots fully operational and away from hacking.
The get to see how effective the robot officers are when they break up a drug deal gone bad. When number 22 continues to come back damaged it is sent to be crushed. The surviving drug dealers all come together to plan to steal the robots control key so they can control the crime in the city. When Deon finally believes he has cracked the artificial intelligence for a robot he goes for his to be demolished robot 22 to try out his theory. After Deon gets kidnapped he gets force to turn his robot project into the puppet for them.
When Deon gets the robot operational he acts like a new born child that gets named Chappie (Copley) but when Vincent learns of the operation he sets out to use his rejected robots to track down the robot. We also see how Chappie continues to learn about the environment around him, as the drug dealer start to push the limits, all while Deon is getting pushed to the limits as Vincent shows he true colours towards Deon.
Chappie finds himself in the middle of a battle between drug dealers, an angry weapons expert and his creator as he just wants to explore and enjoy the world. When Deon’s work gets sabotaged by Vincent only time will tell on who will be seen as thee good guy or the bad guys.
Chappie is a film that tries so hard to squeeze in too many story lines, we have teaching robot, company conflict, drug lord battles and moral questions. I did like certain parts of this, I enjoyed the idea of having a robot being taught without the restriction of the laws of robotics which most films spend 5-10 minutes explaining, but this film avoids the idea, this helps to show the independent side of the robots character. The drug dealer/lord battle was very generic and not offering to much to the story. The company wars shows how the style of intelligence conflict which does work and finally giving the robot the moral questions to ask itself works because it is a first. I do feel Chappie has parts of other films but in the end has an original factor about it and it leaves me asking the question, do we demand too much from an original film? I will say it ends pretty strange but for the most part this is enjoyable. (7/10)
Actor Review
Sharlto Copley: Chappie is the innocent robot creation that wants to learn about the world but as he learns only the bad he desperately needs to learn the good while he ends becoming a target. Sharlto does a good job as Chappie. (7/10)
Dev Patel: Deon Wilson is the brilliant designer who has created a robot police force, but he wants to create a new level of artificial intelligence. When he finalises his idea his creation ends up in the hands of the wrong people. Dev continues to show he is doing a good job in the business and that he could be waiting to truly break out. (7/10)
Hugh Jackman: Vincent Moore is the weapons expert that has seen his designs get ignored as Deon’s get approved, he funding has been getting slashed until he finally breaks and finds his own way to test his machines. Hugh does have fun as the villain and also gives us one of the most intense scenes in the film. (7/10)
Sigourney Weaver: Michelle Bradley is the owner of the weapons manufacturers who will listen to ideas but unless they includes weaponry ideas that don’t cost much she isn’t interested. Sigourney does a solid job but doesn’t get enough screen time. (6/10)
Support Cast: Chappie has a supporting cast that includes the drug dealing family that raise Chappie, it also has the drug dealer/lord who want the money that the first family have to work for.
Director Review: Neill Blomkamp – Neill continues to bring us his new sci-fi genre that brings modern technology in slumps. (7/10)
Action: Chappie is basic that really doesn’t get into the most part until the final scene. (5/10)
Sci-Fi: Chappie does use the sci-fi point with modern technology that doesn’t look like a world with technology. (8/10)
Thriller: Chappie doesn’t really end up having the thrill side coming up during the film. (4/10)
Settings: Chappie brings us back the South Africa for the story which works. (8/10)
Special Effects: Chappie has great effects throughout. (8/10)
Suggestion: Chappie is one to try, I know a lot of people have slammed it but I do think it can be enjoyed because something just seemed to pull me in. (Try It)
Best Part: Chappie
Worst Part: Drug dealers
Action Scene Of The Film: Final scenes
Funniest Scene: Chappie stealing cars.
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Similar Too: I, Robot
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $102 Million
Budget: $49 Million
Runtime: 2 Hours
Tagline: I am discovery. I am wonder. I am chappie.
Overall: Ignore the trailer because it will be misleading, but certain parts are very interesting ideas.
Rating