Mostly focusing on the peak comedy bit when the robot trips down the stairs, which is more of a moment than a whole scene, but I digress. It makes me chuckle, and slapstick’s where it’s at.
I was wondering if this was just a bit that amused me and I was alone in that amusement, but the fact that the scene appears in the YouTube search bar soon after beginning to type in the sentence ‘robocop robot falls down stairs’ suggests otherwise. Good to know there are some other goofy goobers out there besides me.
Let’s set the scene. Peter Weller’s eponymous law enforcer is getting beaten back after trying to apprehend corrupt businessman Dick Jones. Is that first name intentional? Probs. Anyway, Robocop’s getting controlled by some sneaky tech that’s not letting him fight back, plus he also has to endure Dick’s gloating as he explains what’s happening to Robocop’s system and why he can’t shoot a senior officer. Followed by more gloating. Then he brings out the big guy, the ED-209 itself. A name which really rolls off the tongue. Also a name that was probs intentional, because this film’s laden with plenty of satirical sauce. Then some more annoying exposition from Dick as he explains how his robot’s going to take out Robocop.
But then the action starts up as ED’s machine gun bullets yeet Robocop straight through a glass window. Yes, the spell check may have just questioned the most mysterious term that is ‘yeet’, but I defied that spell check by pressing the ignore button. Boom. The big guy advances as Robocop struggles to get up and the funny circus-like music continues. I get that the composition is being used to evoke a sense of dread and tension and all that, but it’s just funny compared to how goofy the action is. Hey, I’m not knocking the film or anything, it’s just that special effects have moved on a fair bit since 1987. Anyway, Robocop gets yeeted through another window while Dick just watches blankly. Robocop manages to grab its arm gun thing (I don’t know what the technical term is, k?) and then ED misaims, firing into a wall that causes a mini explosion. Then starts making some random angry robot-like noises of frustration. Nice. ED tries rocketing blasting Robocop, but Robocop manages to avoid the rockets and then heads for the stairs. ED tries to follow, putting a foot out, but the foot’s too darn big to stand on the stair. It gives it a go, but then just slips and tumbles over. Then it starts having a tantrum. HAHA. You lose, ED.
It’s important to mention that the method used to animate ED was stop motion rather than traditional CGI. The actual model was constructed from fiberglass and wood. Nonetheless, the moment when this seemingly intimidating beast of a machine topples over and starts behaving like a small child is top comedy. The ED didn’t come quietly, and there was indeed trouble.