Overview: 'RoboCop,' from Orion Pictures, marked director Paul Verhoeven's (Flesh + Blood) Hollywood debut and now the future of law enforcement is back in a definitive Blu-ray presentation packed with hours of brand new bonus features & exclusive collectible packaging.

In a dystopic and crime-ridden Detroit, a terminally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg haunted by submerged memories.

Blu-ray Verdict: The 1980's were and are a treasure trove for action movie lovers who were blessed with an abundance of classic action tales ranging from Terminator, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard and countless other flicks that looked to take names and ask questions later.

Dutch wild child Paul Verhoeven's 1987 bout of robotic justice can sit proudly alongside those classic entries as a shamelessly fun and over the top piece of blood infused entertainment.

For some unbeknown reason I have in my many years of film watching never seen Peter Weller strut his stuff as Alex Murphy a man who becomes our titular RoboCop (a fact made all the more shameful on my behalf considering I was holed up working in a video store for more than 5 years), but I am glad I have now rectified that problem.

Robocop is a film filled with subtle smarts and ingenious ideas that were fantastically realized by Verhoeven with some ripping makeup design and typically brutal 1980's action scenes littering the picture.

There is an air of fun and playfulness throughout the picture that are all infrequent in today's action films with RoboCop not afraid to lighten the mood along with mixing in themes that are more meaningful and heartfelt, a mood that is heightened by a cast full of colorful and committed actors.

Peter Weller in the role he will always be remembered for is great as our hero Murphy, playing the man and machine with an always calm yet readily menacing presence.

As he quips his way through the movie we are always on his side and that's without the film bothering with much exposition at all.

Amid talks of a police strike, he and his new partner (Nancy Allen) chase down a pack of criminals to an abandoned warehouse. After being caught, graphically tortured and then shot in the head by the gang, Murphy is shipped off to a hospital whereupon he is announced dead on arrival.

However, Murphy is revived by fusing his body together with that of a machine robot named "RoboCop," the future of law enforcement. RoboCop is a cop who will never hold a strike against the police force, never take a bribe, never become corrupt in any way.

There is only one problem with Robocop which is that he has flashbacks of his past life and family. He also remembers who killed him. And so RoboCop sets off to find his killers.

RoboCop is an action man's action movie. Things blow up, people get killed, and there are some impressive stunts. But all the while the movie keeps true to its core.

Other actors in the piece from Nancy Allen's female cop Anne and Kurtwood Smith's downright slimy Clarence J. Boddicker. I mean, you would never believe the idea of Smith as a psychopathic killer, but once you see is work, well, sure, I get it now!

Indeed, all make their characters there's which fits in fantastically with Verhoeven's at times ingenious direction.

The editing is great, the movie doesn't skip a beat, but although it's full of action, it still manages to keep the story and characters above everything else.

When you watch RoboCop today you really get the sense that even though it has now happened a remake/reboot was entirely unnecessary with the original still standing up in today's standards and still packing both a punch in the entertainment and social commentary stakes.

In closing, if you're thinking about going to rent or buy Robocop remake, why not just watch the original instead? As they say, the original is always the best and that most certainly applies to this quite brilliant 1987 movie (out now as a remastered 2-Disc Blu-ray that comes chock full of en mass of wondrous special features). This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs via a brand new Blu-ray (1080p) HD presentation and comes with the Special Features of:

4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by MGM, transferred in 2013 and approved by director Paul Verhoeven
Newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
Director's Cut and Theatrical Cut of the film on two High Definition (1080p) Blu-rayTM discs
Original lossless stereo and four-channel mixes plus DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound option on both cuts
Optional English subtitles on both cuts
Six collector's postcards (Limited Edition exclusive)
Double-sided, fold-out poster (Limited Edition exclusive)
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
Limited edition collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Omar Ahmed, Christopher Griffiths and Henry Blyth, a 1987 Fangoria interview with Rob Bottin, and archive publicity materials (some contents exclusive to Limited Edition

DISC ONE: DIRECTOR'S CUT
Archive commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, executive producer Jon Davison and co-writer Ed Neumeier
New commentary by film historian Paul M. Sammon
New commentary by fans Christopher Griffiths, Gary Smart & Eastwood Allen
The Future of Law Enforcement: Creating RoboCop, a newly filmed interview with co-writer Michael Miner
RoboTalk, a newly filmed conversation between co-writer Ed Neumeier & filmmakers David Birke and Nick McCarthy
Truth of Character, a newly filmed interview with Nancy Allen
Casting Old Detroit, a newly filmed interview with casting director Julie Selzer
Connecting the Shots, a newly filmed interview with second unit director and frequent Verhoeven collaborator Mark Goldblatt
Composing RoboCop, a new tribute to composer Basil Poledouris featuring film music experts Jeff Bond, Lukas Kendall, Daniel Schweiger and Robert Townson
RoboProps, a newly filmed tour of super-fan Julien Dumont's collection of original props & memorabilia
2012 Q&A with the Filmmakers, a panel discussion featuring Verhoeven, Davison, Neumeier, Miner, Allen, star Peter Weller and animator Phil Tippett
RoboCop: Creating a Legend, Villains of Old Detroit & Special Effects: Then & Now, three archive featurettes from 2007 featuring interviews with cast and crew
Four deleted scenes
The Boardroom: Storyboard with Commentary by Phil Tippett
Director's Cut Production Footage, raw dailies from the filming of the unrated gore scenes
Two theatrical trailers and three TV spots
Extensive image galleries

DISC TWO: THEATRICAL CUT
Archive commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, executive producer Jon Davison and co-writer Ed Neumeier
Two Isolated Score tracks (Composer's Original Mix & Final Theatrical Mix) in lossless stereo
Edited-for-television version of the film, featuring alternate dubs, takes & edits of several scenes (95 mins, SD only)
Split screen comparison of Theatrical and Director's Cuts
RoboCop: Edited For Television, a compilation of alternate scenes from two edited-for-television versions, newly transferred in HD from recently-unearthed 35mm elements

'RoboCop' Original Movie Trailer