Many, many people, some of whom we even semi-respect, tell us that “RoboCop” is smart and knowing film with many layers deeper than its seemingly silly sci-fi action facade. We haven’t seen it since we were kids, but we generally don’t ascribe to this notion as we feel it’s probably the same ironists who laud Paul Verhoven, exalt “Starship Troopers” as sly satire and the loyal fruitcakes that defend Brian DePalma to the death (irony lovers the lot of them, we don’t have time for that).
So this recent (and slightly buried) news that Darren Aronofsky is one of a few directors in discussions about a “RoboCop” remake, is very disconcerting. There’s not much to it other than that, he’s one of many in talks, but it still troubles us. Maybe we should review this “classic.” What would Aronofsky’s take on the story be? Presumably a lot darker, yes? But we should note once again, the “Requiem For A Dream,” is branching out lately (a comedy called “The Wrestler“), is seeming on an almost-quick tear of projects (he’s discussed a Noah’s Ark film for one) and tackling films with commercial appeal (“The Fighter” with Brad Pitt and Mark Wahlberg).
He has had a bit of a raw deal and been knocked around Hollywood in the last few years (see the debacle that was getting “The Fountain” to life) so maybe he just wants to play in a slightly larger arena for once?
Maybe we weren’t so far off when we posited: is his lack of commercial success guiding his next few years of directing obligations? And we don’t mean that pejoratively, like we said, dude’s been had a hard go of it and probably deserves a break (which probably explains the seeming lightness of “The Wrestler,” though to be 100% truthful, we’re not sure if it’s actually a comedy or not, though it sure looks like one).