Review: Android Cop / Director: Mark Atkins / Screenplay: Mark Atkins / Starring: Michel Jai White, Charles S. Dutton, Kadeem Hardison, Larissa Vereza / Release Date: Out Now (US), TBC (UK)
With the remake of RoboCop due in your local multiplex any minute, The Asylum has jumped on board once again with their Mockbuster version: Android Cop.
It’s the year 2037, and Los Angeles has been devastated by an earthquake, leaving it a post-apocalyptic cross between Mad Max and The Terminator. Entering the disease-ridden area of Beverly Hills called the Zone, Hammond (White) is in pursuit of a nefarious character when his partner is killed by a malfunctioning sentry mini-gun, thus leading him to distrust all things computerized. Back in the Zone once again with another team, he’s ambushed, then saved by Android Cop who will be the future of law enforcement (haven’t we heard that line somewhere before?).
In an uneasy alliance, Hammond and his new sidekick team up on a secret mission to discover the cause of the outbreak, which leads them to corrupt police officials and… wait for it… the mayor! During the course of this, Hammond learns to trust his technological partner and Android Cop learns a lesson in humanity (awwww…).
Direction and script are painful with weak, predictable villains, silly dialogue and cribbed references from Blade Runner and the RoboCop series. Though it does move along rather fast, it’s missing a few important essentials, such as, for instance, any kind of backstory at all about the title character. Acting is sub-par and the CGI is what you’d expect from an Asylum film.
Extras: The making of Android Cop / Outtakes reel
