Chappie (Movie Review)

There comes a time when a movie changes your entire perception on life. Makes you question the world you inhabit, the population that surrounds you, and the entire idea of existence itself. What is it? What does it all mean? Does it really matter? I have no answers, and neither does this movie, but in truth it doesn't pretend to know it all, instead adding to our own existentialism. Life. Death. Good. Bad, and even God are all touched upon in this emotionally complex flick about one robots growth from hollow shell to sentient being, learning the most important life lessons that humanity has to offer.
Grab your tissues for this one, its about to get real.

 This may, or may not, come to anyone's surprise but the most experience you'll ever gain in this messed up world is when you step out of the educational system. All the papers, and grades in school can't prepare you for what lies ahead. You are crafted by the world around you, molded in its image, and wherever you were born into plays an important role in your future. This is the concept of "Chappie".
A child, in the perfect sense of the word, is thrust into a world it doesn't quite understand, looked after by people who are all completely alien to it, and they will either be this child's saviours or downfall. Its innocence, and naivety will be put to the test, reaching its breaking point, and eventually crumbling to a pitiful piece of rubble. This is reality. Its cruel, selfish but its fundamentals are important in growing up, becoming mature. A child's worst nightmare, and something us adults wish we could keep hold of. We've been hurt, crushed, and kicked to the curb more than once, and why? We never asked for it. We just wanted to exist, to live, to be left to our own devices, but for some that isn't good enough, and they have the wicked need to interfere in your dealings. Its the unspeakable nature of human kind, in its purest form.
A fine example of this is when Chappie is dumped off to a group of thugs, expected to learn how to defend himself from off the bat with no experience whatsoever. Unfortunately, this doesn't pan out well for Chappie, who is scared beyond belief and, sensing his fear, is attacked by the thugs with bottles, poles, bricks, and even set on fire. Confused by the brutality, Chappie attempts to flee back home, his safe haven, but not before losing an arm in the process. This particular scene is traumatizing enough, having to be reminded of what mankind is truly capable of, but also knowing that this loveable, little robot is very much a child. This message is hammered home with absolute force from the moment of his "birth", and seeing this child be mistreated by the world, losing its innocence in the process, can be enough of a call back to our own experiences in life, making it a truly, tragically horrifying scene, and that upsets me.
How can things be this way? Why are we born into a world of so much cruelty? How are we meant to thrive as a species if all we do is destroy? Especially against those we don't understand, or are afraid of? But can blame really be set upon a select few? When those who allow their actions do the talking have only known one life, that of destruction. Are they guilty or mere victims in the world of dog-eat-dog? Its a complicated, complex grey area, one that'll never be resolved.

Making up the rest of this emotional roller coaster are a bunch of passable no-named actors, and a few star studded players (with Hugh Jackman hamming it up BIG time!) but the stand out performance goes to the title character himself, played by Sharlto Copley, who is able to convey a bag of mixed feelings from not only a vocal stand point, but a physical one as well. From "newborn" to "rebellious teenager", Copley nails the expressions needed for Chappie despite not sporting a face, bringing to life this larger than life character, which he's had plenty of experience with in the past with other films such as the A-Team, and Elysium.
Its his movie, in more ways than one, and he is able to be engaging enough to hold this piece together, even when the movie enters its cop-out ending. I won't delve into the details for obvious reasons, but I felt the movies lead up to its final act derailed off the tracks a little from what could've been a more thought provoking conclusion, what with the subtle hints dropped not so subtly during the more relaxed moments. It felt more like a way to give the characters a happy ending, having little regard for what was being established.
Having said that, it doesn't deter from what is an entertaining adventure and I can easily recommend this to just about anyone, if you can handle the underlying theme of emotional abuse, that is.

"Chappie" is a movie with not just a brain, or heart but a soul too. A sensitive one.