Chappie
Oscar-nominated writer-director Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium) helms this sci-fi biopic of a “new-born” robot, observing a near-future Earth as he grows to discover a sense of self. Stars Die Antwoord members Yolandi Visser and Ninja, Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver, and Blomkamp’s go-to actor Sharlto Copley as the robot Chappie.
A robot police force has helped to reduce Johannesburg’s violent crime rate, and now their creator Deon (Dev Patel) can perfect his next obsession – creating artificial intelligence. Using a clapped-out robot destined for the scrapheap as a vessel, Deon brings his concept to life, but the pair are soon kidnapped by gangsters (Yolandi Visser and Ninja) who not only name the childlike AI “Chappie” but begin teaching it all the wrong lessons. With Chappie’s education heading in unexpected directions and a workplace rivalry between Deon and Vincent (Hugh Jackman) spilling violently on to the South African streets, a collision between machine and man looms.
- Director:
- Neill Blomkamp ('Elysium', 'District 9')
- Writer:
- Neill BlomkampTerri Tatchell
- Cast:
- Hugh JackmanSigourney WeaverSharlto CopleyDev PatelYolandi VisserNinja
Reviews & comments
Flicks, Steve Newall
flicksWithin the first five minutes of Chappie, director Neill Blomkamp has already borrowed extensively from his own scant two film career (and genre classic RoboCop) as a documentary-style introduction is followed by private policing robots rolling out onto the violent streets of Johannesburg. It’s so obvious that in anyone else’s hands it’d be called plagiarism, in Blomkamp’s “lazy-ism” may be a better description, one that infuses much of his film.
It was slow to start but ok.
The plot is full of holes you could drive a bulldozer through (so not a thinking mans movie) but some good fun in it and as always for action movies the pace picks up towards the end. Sam made the comment that it was just District 9 all over again. Thinking about it he was right. It's set in South Africa and the plot is similar except instead of aliens its...
Wishful Thinking
Chappie So I did enjoy it, wonderful to watch to character build up of Chappie an his creator, not to mention Chappie’s momma & poppa. So reminds me of 'Short Circuit’, ‘RoboCop’ an ‘Transcendence’ with bits of ‘Automata’, ‘A.I.’, ‘iRobot' and other robot movie. You’ll enjoy it and the special effects are pretty good too. It’ll pull little at the heart...
Variety
pressWinds up feeling as clunky and confused as the childlike droid with which it shares its name.
Total Film
pressLike its title character, Chappie is stunning to behold and easy to like, but it’s still some way from fully developed.
Time Out
pressThis hugely entertaining oddity could never be mistaken for the work of any other filmmaker.
The Telegraph
pressIt’s a brawny, inventive action romp that’s as happy firing rockets at helicopters as it is contemplating the Cartesian model of mind-body dualism.
The Guardian
pressChappie is a broad, brash picture, which does not allow itself to get bogged down in arguing about whether or not “artificial intelligence” is possible. It has subversive energy and fun.
The Dissolve
pressChappie’s biggest problem is the degree to which it echoes other films...
Empire Magazine
pressBlomkamp’s third movie has just about enough spectacle and quirk to overcome some fairly major flaws, not least of which is an unappealing central trio.
Flicks, Steve Newall
flicksWithin the first five minutes of Chappie, director Neill Blomkamp has already borrowed extensively from his own scant two film career (and genre classic RoboCop) as a documentary-style introduction is followed by private policing robots rolling out onto the violent streets of Johannesburg. It’s so obvious that in anyone else’s hands it’d be called plagiarism, in Blomkamp’s “lazy-ism” may be a better description, one that infuses much of his film.
Variety
pressWinds up feeling as clunky and confused as the childlike droid with which it shares its name.
Total Film
pressLike its title character, Chappie is stunning to behold and easy to like, but it’s still some way from fully developed.
Time Out
pressThis hugely entertaining oddity could never be mistaken for the work of any other filmmaker.
The Telegraph
pressIt’s a brawny, inventive action romp that’s as happy firing rockets at helicopters as it is contemplating the Cartesian model of mind-body dualism.
The Guardian
pressChappie is a broad, brash picture, which does not allow itself to get bogged down in arguing about whether or not “artificial intelligence” is possible. It has subversive energy and fun.
The Dissolve
pressChappie’s biggest problem is the degree to which it echoes other films...
Empire Magazine
pressBlomkamp’s third movie has just about enough spectacle and quirk to overcome some fairly major flaws, not least of which is an unappealing central trio.
It was slow to start but ok.
The plot is full of holes you could drive a bulldozer through (so not a thinking mans movie) but some good fun in it and as always for action movies the pace picks up towards the end. Sam made the comment that it was just District 9 all over again. Thinking about it he was right. It's set in South Africa and the plot is similar except instead of aliens...
Wishful Thinking
Chappie So I did enjoy it, wonderful to watch to character build up of Chappie an his creator, not to mention Chappie’s momma & poppa. So reminds me of 'Short Circuit’, ‘RoboCop’ an ‘Transcendence’ with bits of ‘Automata’, ‘A.I.’, ‘iRobot' and other robot movie. You’ll enjoy it and the special effects are pretty good too. It’ll pull little at the heart...
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