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29

The critics are absolutely wrong about Chappie. In all seriousness, I am baffled that this film is getting blasted by the critics.

Chappie is actually a pretty deep movie. It explores several themes and ideas and does a very good job at doing so. Especially since the run time is just under 2 hours. The movie also has got some genuine heart behind it. As a character, I really liked Chappie and I truly cared what happened to him. His character development is very well done. Sharlto Copley does a really fantastic job as this robot protagonist. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed both of the rappers (Die Antwoord). They're a bit over-the-top, but I bought into them. My favorite…

57

It's Short Circuit with a dose of RoboCop, a hint of I, Robot, and a spoonful of A.I., in Neill Blomkamp's third film that's heavy on the mullets, and ultralight on plot, and human character development. Once again another Mr. Blomkamp movie features cool looking robots, and a strong performance from Sharlto Copley as the voice and heart of Chappie. What's new? Mr. Blomkamp makes nice looking movies, and Mr. Copley is Mr. Blomkamp's muse. Plus, the camera doesn't shake like a Polaroid picture in Chappie. So, you can leave your headache medicine at home. Or maybe not. Instead of a shaky cam, we get Die Antwoord. That's the biggest double-edged sword in recent memory. Ninja, is a bad motherfucker…

3

it's hard to explain, but this kinda feels like someone was given $100 million to make a live-action Poochie movie?

12

CONSCIOUSNESS.DAT

posits itself as blomkamp's Robocop but has virtually nothing to say about crime, police militarization or artificial intelligence and instead mostly functions as an ultra-violent, south african E.T. or Iron Giant, which is so blatantly mornoic and ill-conceived im almost inclined to give it credit for some of the all-timer comedy like patel yelling at chappie to nurture his creativity while he decides between painting & committing crimes or the scene where jackman (in his psychopathic catholic high school gym teacher aesthetic, complete with the mullet, lanyard and rugby ball) assaults and threatens to blow patel's brains out in the office and then deflates the situation by going "haha just a prank, guys, everyone go back to work" but the writing here is otherwise so embarrassingly earnest and the performances so miscalculated i just can't do it. still one of the most baffling studio releases of the decade.

Review by Mario 🟠🟢🔵 ★★★★ Liked

Don't laugh. I'm being cool.
Gotta love Chappie, he's too cute.

4

Cannot believe this was released.

2

"There's no more bodies."

A typically incoherent piece of exquisitely designed tech-fetishism from Blomkamp. Has virtually nothing to say about artificial intelligence, privatized/militarized/automated law enforcement, the limits of consciousness, or weird South African prankster rappers, but does continue his distinctive obsession with disrupting human bodies with technology, what metal does to meat. His films are never more compelling or beautiful than when they gaze lovingly at flesh being shredded by bullets like it was pulled pork.

2

I didn't get the Elysium hate and I don't get the Chappie hate.

I greatly enjoyed Chappie and Blomkamp is 3/3 for me.

6

While I it watching Hugh Jackman get the crap knocked out of him gave me immense pleasure I can't in good faith say the same for the rest of the film!

It was a mish mash of Robo Cop and Short Circuit minus the wit, creativity, fun and entertainment factor! Chappie never ventured into the all important "I give a fuck" territory!

I'm not saying it didn't have its moments! It did! But not enough for me to recommend this film! Which is a crying shame!

How this made it past the storyboard phase is beyond me!

Review by ram<3 ★★★★ Liked

"fuck mother"

7

blomkamp is so clearly of the same school as jim cameron and the wachowski sisters -- big themes, messy emotions, a craze for production detail, a fascination with subculture ephemera, a desire to find the transcendent ghost within the oppressive machinery of mundane life.

unlike those two, his lack of success in making broad tent-pole entertainment certainly isn't for lack of trying -- maybe he tries too hard, trades too obviously in his influences and cliches. his approach is rooted in immediacy, with handheld cameras and jump-cuts and a documentation's lack of interest in obtaining compositional beauty over the basic legibility of a shot's information. but his vision of the future is the stuff of 50s speculative fiction, not out-of-date…

2

If you're a Die Antwoord fan, get ready for the ride of your fucking life.

I think a pretty accurate way to describe this movie is to take into consideration me and this little six-or-so year old boy who sat next to me. The little kid was absolutely petrified of Yolandi and Ninja. Every time that they were on the screen, he literally covered his eyes. Then there's me. I had an awestruck expression on my face every time I saw them because it was fucking surreal. Die Antwoord aren't even real people at this point. They're spiritual entities. If you hate them, I IMPLORE you to stay far, far away from this film. It's literally Die Antwoord The Movie™.…