Runaway - 1984
Posted on February 17, 2008 at 7:33 pm by Administrator
Runaway is another of a litany of Michael Crichton concepts that were done about twenty years too early.
Tom Selleck stars as a police officer–an expert in robotics–in a near-future where Amercian life is saturated with domestic robots. Although they perform all the menial tasks that nobody wants to do, they occasionally go haywire and require intervention from Sgt. Jack Ramsay [Selleck]. When Ramsay discovers robots which appear to have been programmed to kill, he goes on a search for Dr. Charles Luther [Gene Simmons], a madman in possession of computerized mini-shells the size of a bullet that function like a guided-missile. Kirstie Alley appears in a supporting role as a pawn in Luther’s evil plan.
Runaway falls short in so many areas… I remember seeing it as a kid and being plugged into the movie until about twenty minutes in. I was transfixed by the images of a near-future where everybody has their own robot. But once the story begins to pursue Luther and his ‘heat-seeking’ bullets, I somehow lost interest. Re-watching as a grown man, I still feel the same way. The story is told in a super-realistic method which is a movie-making technique I’ve always loved. Unfortunately, Runaway was made in 1984 in a pre-cell phone, pre-internet time, so watching today… the movie doesn’t stand up. From Ramsay’s laser weapon in the beginning of the movie, to the refrigerator-sized computers, everything that’s meant to look futuristic now looks dated.
The special effects crew on Runaway used existing technology (presumably for budgetary reasons) to depict the robotic action and the shortcomings are obvious. The arachnid-style six-legged robot minions that so many are familiar with from this movie are literally dropped onto some of the actors to nearly laughable effect. Although they look cool, the robots can’t really do anything else and their most dramatic tactic–attacking in swarms–is brought into the movie too late. The soundtrack couldn’t be more stereotypical eighties either–cheesy synth.
For all it’s defects, the concept for Runaway–a cop who has to fight rebellious robots–is one that could be re-done well.
** Two Stars
October 28th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Well written article.