Watch RoboCop 3

RoboCop 3 is a 1993 action thriller film directed by Fred Dekker and is the third installment in the RoboCop film series. Robert John Burke stars as Alex Murphy/RoboCop, Nancy Allen returns as his companion officer Lewis, and Mario Machado also reprised his role as news anchor Casey Wong. Despite being the least successful of the trilogy, RoboCop 3 presents an action-packed sci-fi movie with a strong social commentary that fans of the franchise appreciate.

The film takes place in a dystopian version of Detroit, where the crime rate is high, and corporations control the city. OCP (Omni Consumer Products), the company that created RoboCop, is on the verge of foreclosure due to financial troubles resulting from their ill-conceived urban renewal plan. To save the company, OCP has partnered with Rehabs, a private military contractor, to evict the residents of Cadillac Heights, an impoverished neighborhood, so they can bulldoze it down and make way for Delta City, a new metropolis with luxury skyscrapers.

Meanwhile, RoboCop is still serving the Detroit Police Department and has gained some humanity since the previous film. His memory of his past life as Alex Murphy is slowly coming back, and he is conflicted about his duties as a cyborg cop. When he and Lewis intervene in a robbery led by a group of rebels called the Splatterpunks, they learn about the resistance movement against OCP and Rehabs, who are using violent means to protect their homes.

Upon realizing that OCP is exploiting the poor for their benefit, RoboCop resigns from the police force and joins the rebels. He sees that the company is now using advanced robot prototypes to destroy Cadillac Heights, along with the ridiculous, mercenary Samurai android who is probably one of the silliest villains in cinematic history. This time, RoboCop is fighting both his former employers and their puppet masters.

RoboCop 3's plot is not its strongest point, but the film compensates with well-executed action sequences and strong visuals. Fred Dekker's direction brings an appropriately comic-book-esque style to the movie, with vibrant colors and quick-cutting camera work. The soundtrack also stands out with some iconic '90s alternative rock tracks from artists like R.E.M., The Jesus and Mary Chain, and P.J. Harvey.

Burke's performance as RoboCop is commendable, considering he took over the role from Peter Weller, who played the character in the first two films. Burke, who spent five hours per day in the makeup chair to transform into the cyborg, manages to imbue RoboCop with a sense of humanity and empathy that Weller had brought to the character.

Nancy Allen returns as Anne Lewis, Robocop's closest ally and friend, who has a more significant role this time. Allen's performance is stellar, bringing strong emotional depth to her character, particularly in her interactions with RoboCop.

The rest of the cast also holds their weight. Mario Machado, who appeared in the previous two RoboCop movies, returns as Casey Wong, the news anchor who provides commentary on the events in the film. CCH Pounder plays the leader of the resistance movement, Bertha, with conviction and grit. Jill Hennessy plays an OCP researcher who comes over to the side of the rebels. John Castle and Rip Torn stand out as the villains, representing corporate greed in the form of a slimy CEO and his violent head of security, respectively.

Overall, RoboCop 3 is a flawed but entertaining movie that combines action, humor, and social commentary, making it a fitting conclusion to the original trilogy. Despite not living up to the qualities of the first two movies, it has a cult following, and fans of the series will find plenty to rejoice.