My take: Robocop

HD Goofnut

Title: Robocop
BD-25 Single-Layer Disc
Video: 1080p/MPEG-2
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Aspect Ratio: 1:85:1
Subtitles: English, Spanish, Cantonese, and Korean
Run time: 102 minutes
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
Rating: R
Player used for review: LG BH200

My take: (the breakdown)

From the beginning of Robocop you immediately recognize Paul Verhoven's directing style (Starship Troopers & Total Recall). Verhoven likes to use a quite a bit of political satire and Robocop certainly has enough of it. When Omni-Comsumer Products (OCP) buys out Detroit's police force so Delta City can be constructed they discover that a new kind of police officer is needed, hence Robocop. When Murphy is shot and killed he is reborn as the ultimate cyborg so that criminals will think twice. This is probably Peter Weller's best movie because most of his other movies weren't that great. Due to the extremely violent nature of this film this is worth a rental for most and a purchase for fans.

Note: Back in October 2007 Peter Bracke reviewed Robocop over at High Def Digest and he made it sound like both the video and audio were just horrible, but that is not the case.

The video quality is indeed hit or miss, but it certainly not horrible. Colors get a dramatic boost over the poorly mastered SD DVD. Fine detail is what is hit or miss. One scene may be incredibly sharp while the next is extremely soft. Flesh tones seem to be accurate for the most part, but some seem to get close to a reddish tint. There is a fair amount of grain, but it never gets noisy. For a movie that was 20 years old as of this Blu-ray release I was impressed with MGM's efforts and this is the best Robocop has looked on home video.

The audio is a little more in depth than the video. Dialogue is clearly understandable and prioritized. Your sub will get some serious work during the actions scenes. Also, the surrounds are used quite a bit for effects happening off camera. I was much more impressed with the DTS-HD Master audio mix than I was the video.

We get the theatrical trailer for the movie and that's it for extra features.

Movie: 7.5/10
VQ: 7/10
AQ: 8/10
Supplements: .5/10
Final word: Purchase for fans

As always thanks for reading folks.

__________________

MikeRox

i agree, it was far from the tradgedy that some rich people with high end equipment thinking that automatically makes them professional film/high def critics claimed it to be.

I'm sure you've seen the 4* rating a 480p upscale pressed onto a HD DVD was awarded by these "experts"

__________________
Currently Playing: Xenoblade Chronicles, Ridge Racer 3D, DIRT 3

Nikopol

Every time i watched Robo on my rich people high end setup (720p front projection FTW! ) it looked like crap all the way through...

I have recently done some nice changes to the setup though (Sony S550 player, D65 calibration, gamma increased to ~ 2.3), so i shall rewatch it soon. Maybe i'll find that the PQ is actual similar to Ghostbusters.

MikeRox

I'd have given Robocop 2/5 for PQ. It's certainly miles better than the DVD was though. I know that doesn't justify praise a lot of the time, but I'd rather have the current Blu-ray than no HD release at all and the userbase back when they did Robocop wouldn't have justified a massive restoration anyway.

__________________
Currently Playing: Xenoblade Chronicles, Ridge Racer 3D, DIRT 3

HD Goofnut

I paid around $5-7 for the DVD and $10 for the BD so I don't feel too guilty.

__________________

MikeRox

I paid £25 for Robocop the day it came out, I HAD to see it there and then! Best bit is... that was like $50 back then >_<

__________________
Currently Playing: Xenoblade Chronicles, Ridge Racer 3D, DIRT 3

GLOW

Good review, thanks. I don't think I've ever complimented you on your reviews yet, Goofnut so now you know I enjoy reading them.

HD Goofnut

Thanks GLOW.

Miss your posts in here and the HD Forum more often.

__________________