Robotropolis is another entry into the Robo-geddon sub-genre of sci-fi, following the simple plotline that many have used before scientist shows off new robot technology, robots and humans living at peace, robots malfunction, humans run like hell! Robotropolis feels like a re-hashed version of the Will Smith blockbuster film I, Robot but on a much lesser budget.
The film is rather heavy on CGI, but in this day and age, with massive blockbusters such as Transformers and its phenomenal computer-generated robots, Robotropolis is laughable in comparison, you cant help but feel that a larger budget would have helped the films intensity when it came to the robot threat. Instead the robots look too clean and just judder along the screen when they are attacking the protagonists. Unfortunately the fight scenes with the robots make you laugh rather than root for the films heroes.
The film follows Christiane Noveau (Zoe Naylor) go getter reporter, her cameraman Danny (Graham Sibley) and Christianes love interest and boss Jason (Edward Foy). One of the better aspects of the film is the idea of a television film crew reporting the carnage as it happens, giving the film a sci-fi documentary feel similar to that of Matt Reeves Cloverfield. However, where Cloverfield built up the intensity and terror by having the monster for the most part off screen, Robotropolis goes for cheap and ineffective shock sequences, which due to the previously mentioned poor CGI and a really bad selection of sound effects, dont really make you feel sorry for the rather two-dimensional characters who are getting killed off left, right and centre.
The lead characters all seem to be acting by numbers. Its hard to empathise with them when their emotions seem apparently void for the most part of the film. Another letidown is definitely the odd CGI smoke that pops up halfway through the film the middle of section of the film. It strangely hovers in front of the characters, meaning you easily get distracted by it. This was obviously employed to show the carnage of the robots without actually showing it, but just comes off as cheap and overused.
The climax of the film sees a chase through a jungle, giving this a Predator feel, but again one cant help but feel that if the directors had refrained from showing shots of the robots running through the jungle and just ramped up the intensity with some off screen action and sounds, this could of helped the film redeem itself. Unfortunately in the final minutes, when the culprit of the robot massacre is revealed, this is so poorly thought out and acted that you dont really care and are begging for the credits to roll over this rather disappointing film.
Overall Verdict: A very poor entry into the robot sci-fi sub-genre. If the documentary style of the robot massacre was dealt with better and less cheap shock moments were used with bad CGI and even worse acting, this could have been an interesting film.
Special Features:
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Reviewer: Gareth Haworth