Superhero Media: Robocop 3

Robocop 3 is generally regarded as the "bottoming out" of the series, but not having seen it before, I found myself actually enjoying it more than Robocop 2, despite it being only a pale echo of the original. Now in the dazzling future of the 1990s, OCP has been brought out by a Japanese corporation, with many officers struggling to hold on to their positions as entire departments are cut, including the Detroit Police. Detroit is a failing city in Robocop 3, with gang enclaves and rampant looting and violence, complete collapse only being held back by a skeleton police force following the lead of Officer Murphy. In order to, finally, get things moving on Delta City, OCP has brought in a team of South American Mercenaries to remove people from their homes in Old Detroit, creating friction with the Police and calls from the Mercenary leader to "retire" Robocop. All the while, a resistance movement is growing within the poor and disenfranchised of the city. 

So, whilst Robocop 3 features a child hacking ED-209, Samurai robots and Robocop getting a jetpack and machine-gun arm, for me, there's one element that kind of overruns all of that annoying stuff. Look, there's no way to get to this but to say it outright, but Robocop leads a Anarchist revolt against a privatised and militarised police force, and that's fucking amazing. The original Robocop is a masterpiece of subtle satire riding in a pop-culture vehicle dripping in the most American of excesses, to the point where many audiences will cheer on the tool of their own oppression. By the time we get to Robocop 3, the joke is wearing thin and the writing (still Frank Miller) isn't all that clever, but the series ends with an armed uprising against corporate fascism that includes the homeless, working class and disgruntled police all under the banner a literal walking piece of militraised police equipment. I have no idea how intentional all of that is, but damn, it's a great tableau. 

After watching Robocop 3, I wonder at Detroit's (real life) decision to not accept the donation of a Robocop statute, not because it just would have been cool, or that Robocop and Eminem are the only Detroit cultural exports anyone remembers anymore, or that the first film encapsulates the rampant capitalism that destroyed the American automotive industry. No, Detroit needs Robocop more than ever because of the ending of Robocop 3, the "ugly stepchild" of the franchise, but also the one that draws the people of Detroit together to stand up against their oppressors and unite for the common good. Is Robocop 3 worth watching just for the ending? I think so, but, as I've demonstrated over the years, I'll sit through almost any trash just to look for the gems. Fear not, however, our Robocop journey will continue, so keep a look out for more of this hero and franchise in the future.