Editing RoboCop (section)

== Reception ==
=== Critical response ===
[[File:NancyAllenactress.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=A black-and-white photograph of Nancy Allen in 1984|''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]''{{'}}s review highlighted [[Nancy Allen (actress)|Nancy Allen]] ''(pictured in 1984)'' for providing the only human warmth in ''RoboCop''.]]
''RoboCop'' opened to generally positive reviews.<ref name="IndieWireCast"/><ref name="LATimesVerhnMakesGood"/> Audience polls by [[CinemaScore]] reported that moviegoers gave the film an average [[letter grade]] of A−.<ref name="CinemaScore"/>

Critics noticed influences in the film from the action of ''The Terminator'' (1984) and ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'' (1986), and the narratives of ''[[Frankenstein (1931 film)|Frankenstein]]'' (1931), ''[[Repo Man (film)|Repo Man]]'' (1984) and the television series ''[[Miami Vice]]''.<ref name="PhillyInquirReview"/><ref name="WaPoReviewDesson"/><ref name="WaPoReviewKempley"/> ''RoboCop'' built a distinct, futuristic vision for Detroit, wrote two reviewers, as ''Blade Runner'' had done for Los Angeles.<ref name="NYTimesleeper"/><ref name="PhillyInquirReview"/> A number of critics struggled to identify the film's genre, writing that it combined social satire and philosophy with elements of action, science fiction, [[Thriller (genre)|thrillers]], [[Western (genre)|Westerns]], [[slapstick]] comedy, romance, [[snuff film]]s, [[superhero comics]] and [[Camp (style)|camp]] without being derivative.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="NYTimesleeper"/><ref name="WaPoReviewDesson"/><ref name="RogerEbertReview"/><ref name="TimeOutReview"/><ref name="ChicagoReaderReview"/>}}

Some publications found Verhoeven's direction smart and darkly comic, offering sharp social satire that ''The Washington Post'' suggested would have been just a simple action film in another director's hands.<ref name="WaPoReviewKempley"/><ref name="CSMReview"/><ref name="LATimesWilmingtonReview"/> Others, such as [[Dave Kehr]] of the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'', believed the film was over-directed with Verhoeven's European filmmaking style lacking rhythm, tension and momentum. According to the ''Chicago Reader'' review, Verhoeven's typical adeptness at portraying the "sleazily psychological" through physicality failed to properly use RoboCop's "Aryan blandness".<ref name="ChicagoReaderReview"/><ref name="ChicagoTribuneKehr"/> ''The Washington Post'' and [[Roger Ebert]] praised Weller's performance and his ability to elicit sympathy and convey chivalry and vulnerability while concealed beneath a bulky costume. Weller offered a certain beauty and grace, wrote ''The Washington Post'' reviewer, that added a mythic quality and made his murder even more horrible.<ref name="WaPoReviewKempley"/><ref name="RogerEbertReview"/> In contrast, Weller "hardly registered" behind the mask for the ''Chicago Reader''.<ref name="ChicagoReaderReview"/> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' cited Nancy Allen as providing the only human warmth in the film, and Kurtwood Smith as a well-cast "sicko sadist".<ref name="VarietyReview"/>

Many reviewers noted the film's violence.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="PhillyInquirReview"/><ref name="LATimesWilmingtonReview"/><ref name="CSMReview"/><ref name="ChicagoTribuneKehr"/><ref name="NYTimesGoodman"/>}} It was so excessive for Ebert and the ''Los Angeles Times'' that it became deliberately comical, with Ebert writing that ED-209 killing an executive subverted audience expectations of a seemingly serious and straightforward science-fiction film. The ''Los Angeles Times'' reviewer believed that the violent scenes simultaneously conveyed sadism and poignancy.<ref name="RogerEbertReview"/><ref name="LATimesWilmingtonReview"/> Other reviewers were more critical, including Kehr and Walter Goodman, who believed that ''RoboCop''{{'s}} satire and critiques of corporate corruption were excuses to indulge in violent visuals.<ref name="ChicagoTribuneKehr"/><ref name="NYTimesGoodman"/> The ''Chicago Reader'' found the violence had a "brooding, agonized quality{{Nbsp}}... as if Verhoeven were both appalled and fascinated" by it, and ''The Christian Science Monitor'' said critical praise for the "nasty" film demonstrated a preference for "style over substance".<ref name="ChicagoReaderReview"/><ref name="CSMReview"/>

Kehr and ''The Washington Post'' said that the satire of corporations and the interchangeable use of corporate executives and street-level criminals was the film's most successful effort, depicting their unchecked greed and callous disregard with witty criticism of [[game show]]s and [[military culture]].<ref name="WaPoReviewKempley"/><ref name="ChicagoTribuneKehr"/> Some reviewers appreciated the film's adaptation of a classic narrative about a tragic hero seeking revenge and redemption, with the ''Los Angeles Times'' writing that the typical cliché revenge story was transformed by making the protagonist a machine that keeps succumbing to humanity, emotion and idealism. The ''Los Angeles Times'' and ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' considered RoboCop's victory satisfying because it offered a fable about a decent hero fighting against corruption, villains and the theft of his humanity, with morality and technology on his side.<ref name="PhillyInquirReview"/><ref name="WaPoReviewDesson"/><ref name="LATimesWilmingtonReview"/> ''The Washington Post'' agreed that the film's "heart" is the story of Murphy regaining his humanity: "[W]ith all our flesh-and-blood heroes failing us—from brokers to ballplayers—we need a man of mettle, a real straight shooter who doesn't fool around with [[Phi Beta Kappa]]s and never [[Recreational drug use#Routes of administration|puts anything up his nose]]. What this world needs is 'RoboCop'."<ref name="WaPoReviewKempley"/>

===Accolades===
''RoboCop'' received a [[Academy Award for Best Sound Editing|Special Achievement for Best Sound Editing]] ([[Stephen Hunter Flick|Stephen Flick]] and [[John Pospisil]]) at the [[60th Academy Awards]]. The film had two other nominations: [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]] for Frank J. Urioste (losing to [[Gabriella Cristiani]] for the drama film ''[[The Last Emperor]]'') and [[Academy Award for Best Sound|Best Sound]] for [[Michael J. Kohut]], [[Carlos Delarios]], [[Aaron Rochin]] and [[Robert Wald (sound engineer)|Robert Wald]] (losing to [[Bill Rowe (sound engineer)|Bill Rowe]] and [[Ivan Sharrock]] for ''The Last Emperor'').<ref name="Academy1988"/> In a comedy routine at the event, the RoboCop character rescued presenter [[Pee-wee Herman]] from ED-209.<ref name="OscarsAppearance"/><ref name="OscarsAppearance2"/>

At the [[42nd British Academy Film Awards]], ''RoboCop'' received two nominations: [[BAFTA Award for Best Makeup and Hair|Best Makeup and Hair]] for Carla Palmer (losing to [[Fabrizio Sforza]] for ''The Last Emperor''), and [[BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects|Best Special Visual Effects]] for Bottin, Tippett, Kuran, and Gioffre (losing to [[George Gibbs (special effects artist)|George Gibbs]], [[Richard Williams (animator)|Richard Williams]], [[Ken Ralston]], and Edward Jones for the 1988 fantasy film ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]'').<ref name="BAFTA"/>

At the [[15th Saturn Awards]], ''RoboCop'' was the most-nominated film. It received awards for [[Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film|Best Science Fiction Film]], [[Saturn Award for Best Director|Best Director]] for Verhoeven, [[Saturn Award for Best Writing|Best Writing]] for Neumeier and Miner, [[Saturn Award for Best Make-up|Best Make-up]] for Bottin and Dupuis, and [[Saturn Award for Best Special Effects|Best Special Effects]] for Kuran, Tippett, Bottin, and Gioffre. The film received three more nominations, including [[Saturn Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] (Weller) and [[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]] (Allen).<ref name="SaturnPast"/><ref name="SaturnNoms"/>