Fred Dekker
Robocop 3

In 1991, just one year after the semi-disastrous "Robocop 2," Orion (then on the brink of bankruptcy) allocated a whopping twenty-two million dollars to create a second sequel to Robocop. Due to various problems, the film would be released in theaters only two years later.

The story development was once again entrusted to the excellent Frank Miller, while the direction changed once more and this time was handed over to Fred Dekker, a specialist in horror movies ("Monster Squad," "Night of the Creeps," and screenwriter of "Ricochet" with Denzel Washington).

However, the first snag appears almost immediately: Peter Weller, a highly sought-after actor at the time (due to the popularity he gained with the first two Robocop films), is unavailable, as he is busy shooting David Cronenberg's "Naked Lunch." He has to be replaced.

The choice falls on another not-so-famous actor, Robert John Burke, who would later become a true "fetish actor" for George Clooney. Meanwhile, the ever-present Nancy Allen was confirmed in the role of Anne Lewis, Robocop/Murphy's friend policewoman. The president of the terrifying OCP corporation also changes from Daniel O'Herlihy to Rip Torn (Agent Z from "Men In Black"). The soundtrack returns to the hands of the great Basil Poledouris, while this time the filming takes place in Atlanta, Georgia.

More problems arise: following the immense popularity gained by the cyborg-cop even among the younger audience, there are increasing pressures on the production to "lighten" the film in terms of violence and references to drugs and similar themes. As a result, we get a dull, watered-down film devoid of the fundamental elements that made the first episode of the series great. Burke himself is unconvincing in the role of the robot/man, awkward and clumsy in movements and less "human" and expressive compared to Weller, especially in the key scene where Lewis is brutally gunned down.

The plot is rather flat and predictable: the OCP, which in the meantime has merged with a Japanese company (Kanemitsu), implements yet another attempt to build a new city, Delta City, on the ruins of Detroit, this time evicting families from their homes with the help of "rehabilitators," a group of ruthless pseudo-cops led by the villainous commander Paul McDaggett (John Castle, very skilled and ultimately one of the few good things about the film). Robocop, of course, does not agree and rebels by fleeing with a group of dissidents led by the courageous Bertha (the always excellent CCH Pounder), going against OCP and the rehabilitators, as well as an unlikely robot sent by Kanemitsu to destroy him (named Otomo). He finds friendship and comfort in the beautiful Dr. Lazarus (Jill Hennessy - "Law & Order" - who was supposed to play Dana Scully in X-Files before Gillian Anderson was chosen) and in Nikko (Remy Ryan), an orphaned girl who has also joined the rebels.

An ugly, useless film shot by Dekker with too much indifference, which further obscured Verhoeven's beautiful and inimitable original work. Thinking that a third sequel ("Robocop - Fight For The Future," a title later used for the X-Files movie adaptation) was already planned and that a remake of the first film was almost realized in 2005, is spine-chilling.

Fortunately, Verhoeven has stated that should a fourth episode be made, the two existing sequels would be completely ignored. Bring it on.