Chappie & the Taxonomy of Movie Robots
Released on 02/24/2015
(ethereal music sting)
Okay, everyone who wants to help me
destroy my enemies, raise your hand.
Great, we'll conquer the world
right after I rant about Chappie
and the taxonomy of movie robots
on this week's episode of Angry Nerd.
(whistling of steam)
First, your comments.
AdRockOne responded to my top 10 movies of 2014 list
with this: But wait, Michael Bay released
a new Transformers movie.
Shouldn't it be on here?
AdRock, I'm worried about you.
Are you on some illicit substance?
Do you need me to talk you down or call poison control?
The new robot movie Chappie makes me furious!
The odd capitalization scheme of the title, that is.
It looks like the name of a valley startup,
but everything else about Neill Blomkamp's new flick
looks totally (bleep) boss.
Chappie stars a computer-generated droid
and the trailer proves how much better the CG design
is implemented than in Will Smith's I, Robot.
Ugh, they forgot Asimov's eighth law.
Movie robots should not ape the aesthetic
of first-gen iMacs.
I also liked that Chappie's hero does battle
with the tiresome roles that robots have generally
been relegated to by Hollywood.
You see, there are three species of movie robots.
You have the cutesy servant droids
who perform repairs and dispense comic relief.
Then you have the menacing heavies,
bad guys designed to inflict pain.
And yes, Mechagodzilla counts as a robot.
And finally, you have the robot as childlike naif.
Steel Pinocchioses who gradually learn about
the wonders and horrors of the world.
Hollywood movies are dominated by the first two types,
but the last one is clearly best.
These characters are much more involving and relatable
and movies can use the unique perspective of these bots
to reflect on what it means to be human.
What's that, Chappie's book?
Yeah, it's yours.
Chappie's got stories.
Chappie's got a book.
We need more movies that cast robots
as the wide-eyed outsider.
But the only way we'll get those
is if robot actors refuse to take
the over-familiar stereotyped roles.
I'm talking to you Jeff 1000.
What?
A Wired property?
I don't care if it's a Wired show,
that droid is a 10-ton sellout.
How do you sleep at night, Jeff 1000?
Or, how would you sleep if you were
a biological entity that required sleep?
Hey, hey, are you running an annotation
to Jeff 1000 over me right now?
Knock it off.
I'm not gonna cross-promote for that (bleep).
Yeah, I gotta say I'm a little worried
about the fact that the robot in Chappie
apparently learns how to be human
from the gooney bird members of the rap group Die Antwoord.
I question their credentials.
What, is there a backroom deal between
Blomkamp and the Cape Town Chamber of Commerce
to promote fellow South African artists?
(mechanical whirring)
Yeah, seriously.
Learning how to be human from Ninja and Yolandi
is like learning to write a satisfying third act
from M. Night Shyamalan.
(whistling of steam)
What's your favorite movie robot?
Let me know in the comments and subscribe
to the Wired channel.
Watch my other videos over there.
Robot henchman, can you point to my other videos?
(mechanical whirring) Come on.
Come on.
Yeah.
There.
I knew that you could.
Now, dance a cabbage patch for me.
Oh, that's not the cabbage patch!
No, here, go over here.
Go over.
Attack that comic book.
(beep)
Just point, point over this.
Point.
(laugh)
[Producer] Let's reset it.
Yeah, there we!
Let's reset it. I knew that you could.
(beep)
(mechanical whirring)
That's easy for you to say.
(mechanical whirring)
(beep)
Can we get some tape for him?
He's just, he's not hitting his marks.
(ethereal music sting)
Starring: Chris Baker
The Trouble with Turning “12 Monkeys” the Movie Into “12 Monkeys” the TV Show
Is SpongeBob Ready to Move from a Pineapple to the Real World?
Channing Tatum as a Douchey Elf? No Thanks, “Jupiter Ascending”
Why "50 Shades of Grey" Matters to Fanfic
Time Traveling with Black Nerd Comedy and Angry Nerd
Chappie & the Taxonomy of Movie Robots
Can Will Forte’s “The Last Man on Earth" Defy the Sci-fi TV Curse?
The New Cinderella is Giving Angry Nerd Déjà Vu
Marvel vs DC: Who Will Ruin Superhero Movies? Starring Black Nerd Comedy
DreamWorks’ New Film “Home” Combines the Worst in CGI Alien Design
100th Episode Spectacular!
Will Netflix’s Daredevil Fly or Flop?
Clicking Dislike on the Cyber-Horror Film "Unfriended"
HBO: Ignore the Game of Thrones Books
The Avengers Get Voice Acting Wrong