“I do believe the problem with artificial intelligence is that it’s way too unpredictable,” the mulleted Hugh Jackman says in the new UK trailer for Neill Blomkamp’s sci-fi film “Chappie.” That line is a fine summation of the movie: a nerd inventor creates the first independently thinking and feeling robot, which is stolen by thugs, and then concerned technophobe authorities seek to have it destroyed using the hardware they borrowed from “RoboCop.”
“I am consciousness, I am alive, I am Chappie,” the robot voiced by Blomkamp’s “District 9” and “Elysium” star Sharlto Copley says. Unfortunately, he’s not funny… yet. The filmmaker promised a sci-fi comedy —the inclusion of the wacky rap rave duo Die Antwoord in prominent roles was your first clue— but for some reason Sony’s been marketing this movie as a more serious, somber sci-fi film. Maybe that tests better with the kids? In that sense, who can blame the company, other than geeks who cry conspiracy theory whenever marketing isn’t 100% transparent? We’ll see.
“Chappie” also stars Dev Patel and Sigourney Weaver, boasts a score by Hans Zimmer and the movie lands in theaters on March 6th. Watch the trailer below, along with a TV spot.
