1. RoboCop (2014)
As mentioned in the Total Recall entry, Paul Verhoeven’s contribution to the sci-fi genre is admirable. RoboCop is often considered one of the director’s greatest cinematic achievement, regularly being cited as one of the best science fiction and action movies of all time. The 1987 film is remembered for its deep and interesting narrative themes, as well as for its thrilling story and brutal depictions of violence.
Taken at face value, a modern remake using improved visual effect technologies could be an interesting prospect, particularly if it were to explore similar themes to the original using more contemporary societal issues for inspiration. However, 2014’s RoboCop wasted both of these opportunities in different ways. Much like with Total Recall, the remake seemed to thoroughly misunderstand what made Verhoeven’s original film so good in the first place.
Though the remake wasn’t entirely without merit, it lacked the soul of the original. It did away with the grittiness of its predecessor in favor of sleeker visuals, losing a great deal of its story’s charm in the process. It’s yet another Hollywood action movie that felt overproduced and underwritten, securing its status as one of the most pointless movie remakes ever – mostly due to the fact that the original simply didn’t need remaking at all.
And that’s our list. Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to follow Corner of Film on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @corneroffilm to keep up to date with all our excellent content!