Stars:
Page Fletcher, Maurice Dean Wint, Grant Wyn Davies, Maria Del Mar, Anthony
Lemke, Kevin Jubinville, and Leslie hope
Writers:
Brad Abraham and Joseph O’Brian
Based
On Characters Created By: Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner
Director:
Julian Grant
Feature
length: 90 minutes
Extras:
Trailer
Languages:
English Stereo Sound
Subtitles:
Chinese and Malay Language Subtitles
Packaging:
2-Disc Jewel Case Within A Glossy Slipcase
Sound:
Stereo Sound
Year
of VCD Release: 2002
Home
Video Distributor: Multimedia Entertainment (In Asia Only)
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
After
three theatrical films and a short-lived television series, a miniseries of new
“Robocop” adventures were produced. The adventures stand alone, but
collectively hold together as a larger story as well. Under the blanket title
“Robocop: Prime Directives” the series premiered in the United States on the
Sci-Fi Channel a few years ago. I suppose they might have had theatrical or
straight to video releases abroad, but regardless of how they have been viewed,
the “Prime Directives” storyline was better than any of the sequels that
premiered theatrically though nothing can compare to the original feature film.
Ten
years have past since the events of the first “Robocop.” “Murphy” is
still unappreciated by some of his fellow cops as well as the scheming OCP
executives always looking to profit through some technological terror in the
name of profit, but this time OCP is in danger of going bust so a group of OCP
executives who refer to themselves as “The Trust” will stop at nothing to
push their agenda forward. As Murphy closes in on his new enemies that have
cropped up in Delta City, he discovers that his son is a part of “The Trust”
and is unaware that his father and Robocop are one and the same. Can Robocop
stop crime and pull his son out of corruption’s grip and should he let his son
know that his father is still alive?
Multimedia
Entertainment is distributing “Robocop IV: Prime Directives: Dark Justice”
on VCD in Asia and presents the “Dark Justice” episode on video-CD in a
letterboxed (1.78:1) aspect ratio, which is rare for most legal VCD releases
imported to America. The picture suffers from the expected MPEG-1 compression
artifacts that are inherent to the format, but they are kept as minimal as
possible while the overall picture is about a shade or so lighter than what I
would imagine the DVD version would look like when it is eventually released. At
the time of this writing, this is the only digital format legally available for
retail and for the low sales price is a pretty good deal. A CD quality English
Stereo Soundtrack is included though it is important to note that you must lower
your home theater sound system’s volume before playing this title since the
sound is not compressed. Otherwise the soundtrack is clear and free of analog
background hissing. Chinese and Malay Language Subtitles are burned into the
screen and cannot be removed. The film runs across two discs and comes packaged
in a standard CD jewel case intended for two discs and is housed in a glossy
cardboard slipcase. A (1.33:1) trailer for Dimension Films’ “Spy Kids II:
The Island Of Lost Dreams” precedes the feature on disc one.
“Robocop
IV: Prime Directives: Dark Justice” is available on VCD now and can be ordered
directly online from www.eurekamovies.com.
©
Copyright 2003 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.