Robocop (1987)

Dutch director Paul Verhoeven's bloody, glossy B-movie sensibilities first reached a mass audience with this science-fiction vigilante fantasy. The idea of a crime-ridden Detroit of the near future (mostly shot in Dallas), combined with an indestructible android (Peter Weller) and a slew of tech-noir trappings appealed to '80s audiences weaned on Blade Runner, Ronald Reagan, and the idea of American society backsliding into amoral corporate ruin. The casting is sublime: Weller's creepy, Aryan good looks are a perfect match for the role, and he and love interest Nancy Allen seem aware of the script's more preposterous moments. Robocop's attempts at social commentary and satirical jabs at corporate authority are, like much of the rest of the film, juvenile but effective. Above all else, the film established Verhoeven as a slick, dark director with an uncanny knack for making ludicrous material compelling. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide