After plenty of anticipation, the first trailer for Neil Blomkamp’s Chappie is finally here… and it gives us our first look at the human side of the titular robot.
It’s clear straight from the off that this is a Blomkamp film – from its grubby visuals to slightly off-kilter style, it’s very much in the young sci-fi director’s signature style. And with a whole host of 80s references, it looks as though he’s decided to tackle the story of Short Circuit… but with a bit of a twist.
Meet Chappie – an experimental humanoid robot who might just be the next step in human evolution. Of course, while his creator is amazed at what the chirpy android represents, it’s not long before humanity runs scared… and soon the race is on to terminate this threatening new development.
“Every child comes into the world full of promise, and none more so than Chappie: he is gifted, special, a prodigy,” says the official synopsis. “ Like any child, Chappie will come under the influence of his surroundings – some good, some bad – and he will rely on his heart and soul to find his way in the world and become his own man.”
“But there’s one thing that makes Chappie different from anyone else: he is a robot. The first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself. His life, his story, will change the way the world looks at robots and humans forever.”
Of course, the key here is balancing the emotional and action-oriented sides of the movie… and with an R-rating, it’s likely that the funny, rather sweet scenes at the start of the trailer will soon escalate. But can Blomkamp keep this touching emotional angle at the film’s core?
It certainly feels reminiscent of District 9… and that’s a huge positive.
Starring Sharlto Copley as the titular robot in a fantastically motion-captured role, I get the feeling that Blomkamp is onto something really special. And an appearance from a mulletted Hugh Jackman as an anti-A.I. crusader only seems to add to the sense of gravitas that the movie seems to have conjured up.
Will it manage to bring something new to the table? For now, we’ll have to wait and see. But while the movie seemingly tackles age-old questions of identity and self, I get the feeling that Blomkamp will add an all-new twist.
What do you think of the Chappie trailer? Are you looking forward to Blomkamp’s next big release? Let us know what you think in the comments below…
