Chappie (2015), R, ★★

Chappie as a robotic gangster. 

It's going to happen sooner or later...robots will be invented for better or for worse. But, we have to consider this or ask ourselves this: we saw it from Elysium, Neill Blomkamp's previous effort, as robots will become security. Humanity will react to it in a positive way but how will this proclivity to make the world better change the outcome for the future? We can't tell, so, there are pros and cons to having robots in the future but that is not necessarily what I will be talking about during this review. It's just a thought. As I'm typing this review, I am still thinking about the feeling of chagrin I have towards this movie.

The movie is set in Johannesburg in 2016 where robots are completely automated, have artificial intelligence and is the first city to create robots as a police force. They are all invented and created by Deon Wilson (Dev Patel), whereas, his business rival, Vincent Moore has created the Moose, operated by a human. It's nearly the same prototype as the ED-209 from Robocop. Robocop unit 22 are sent with the police force to assist in a drug raid where Ninja and Yolandi (Die Antwoord's Ninja and Yolandi) are teamed with Amerika (Jose Pablo Cantillo) to help deliver goods to crime boss, Hippo (Brandon Auret). The three escape while Hippo shoots a rocket launcher at the robot's chest and later, the company set him aside to be scrapped.

Deon's robots are such a hit that the governments funds him more money to design more robots and with help and support of programming and Red Bull, he creates artificial consciousness. However, he pitches it to the CEO, Michelle Bradley (Sigourney Weaver) to test it on the unit 22. She replies that they are "in the business of defense, not business of creating poets." Deon ignores her and takes a chance but when he leaves with the unit 22, he gets kidnapped by the gang and they ask him how to shut the robots down based on the television news they saw.

Deon assembles the robot for them and explains to them that if the program works, it can be taught. He also says that the robot would have the mind and personality of a scared child. Yolandi is a mother figure to the robot and they name him Chappie. The gang lets Deon leave and Yolandi and Amerika teaches him while Ninja gets infuriated because they need him to assist them for one last heist to deliver the goods to Hippo.

Hugh Jackman wants some answers from Dev Patel.

This movie is a big disappointment from Blomkamp because he is somehow exploiting his own style and worlds and politics from his two other movies, more Elysium than District 9, but it seemed that the result is muddled with tone inconsistencies especially with its story. The premise is interesting when hearing about it but as I was watching it, I was in awe of the visuals but the narrative becomes pretentious as it mixes action, drama and sentimentality to one mess. And within that mess lies a stupid conclusion that is laughable and self-indulgent.

I did not think that there were memorable human characters in the story. Dev Patel plays a scientific genius but his character is thin with not much development. Ninja and Yolandi from the band play people that we try to care about but there are just playing caricatures of thugs from better movies. Hugh Jackman, unfortunately, is stuck with a one-dimensional villain with a mullet that goes over-the-top. I think this is one of his few bad performances that he would not put on his resumé. Again, Weaver has nothing to do except be in charge of a company. The only memorable character is the robot itself, Chappie, played wonderfully by Sharlto Copley in motion-capture animation. He is interesting as how he captures the innocent spirit and also the gangster lifestyle.

The robot is great, the visuals are pleasant as usual and the premise is satisfying but the story is jumbled and all over the place. Plus, there are illogical plot holes where the security in the company is poor. You can just walk in there and take anything. Are there any security cameras in 2016? Chappie wants to be presented as a social commentary with its politics and security between robots and humans and of course, a presentation of how the lower class is being represented. There's not a lot of that because it is a presented as an sci-fi action film with a little bit of comedy and advantageous sentimentality.

My question is: who is this audience for? It's not intelligent enough to become a sci-fi film and there's not much great action to become a campy sci-fi action film like Robocop or Starship Troopers (the latter which I also disliked). Neill Blomkamp wanted to present another world but like the world, the presentation is miserable to like and rush to the theater because there is too much familiarity and disorganization with its storyline that you would forget about it in the next three months. Again, I'm disappointed with its result.

**