Can’t argue with that: Paul Verhoeven contends RoboCop is “American Jesus”
On the eve of the film's 35th anniversary, its director explains his pretty dead-on analysis
Film Features RoboCop
Hard to believe, but RoboCop is technically older than Jesus—this year marks the 35th anniversary of Paul Verhoeven’s satirical sci-fi splatterfest classic, while the latter only walked the Earth (and water, depending on who you ask) for just 33 years.
Yesterday, The Guardian featured a couple of short remembrances on the film from both Verhoeven and RoboCop’s co-star, Nancy Allen. Both offer some great bits of film trivia (a police officer’s recognition of Allen got her out of a speeding ticket once, for instance), but it’s Verhoeven’s retrospective that sticks out to us the most… particularly his insistence that RoboCop, neé Alex Murphy, is a stand-in for “American Jesus.”
“The scene where Peter’s character is executed is extremely violent—like a crucifixion. And what happens after is a kind of resurrection. I started to look at the movie in those terms,” Verhoeven recalls, adding that this was also why he had RoboCop walk over water during his final confrontation with Kurtwood Smith’s villainous Clarence Boddicker. “I felt he was like the American Jesus—whereas Boddicker is evil personified. We even gave Boddicker glasses so he looked a bit like Heinrich Himmler—to indicate that he is ultra-evil.”
You know what, Verhoeven? You’ll get no argument from us here. A resurrected policeman anointed with military-grade weaponry and legal immunity? Yep, that tracks. Sounds pretty much like U.S. of A. Jesus to us.
Of course, there are quite a few liberties taken with the whole Jesus metaphor—for instance, we can’t recall the Bible verse in which the Son of God blasts a dude’s nuts off… not that that’s a big deal for us, or Verhoeven. “I’m not a Christian,” he is sure to clarify at one point during his interview.
Oh yes, Paul. We are well aware of that by now.
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30 Comments
This sounds like some nonsense I’d say to my buddy Gene after we’re stoned to the bone and watching Robocop.“Dude, that guy’s got glasses on. Didn’t some Nazi wear glassses?”“Yeah, man. I think this movie is like a metaphor or an allegory or some shit about American Jesus fighting the nazis.”“Yeah, that sounds right. Did you take my lighter?”
“Dude! He just shot that guy in the balls, just like Jesus would have.”
……Content Warning…….It’s been there all along:Matthew 19:12, NLT: Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Well, Jesus was a well-known Nazi fighter, after all.
Well they are mortal enemies on account of the fact that Jesus is Jewish.
You’re thinking of regular Jesus. American Jesus is a rapid antisemite with a Punisher skull on his chest that shoots people in the balls.
Jesus Christ: Nazi Hunter.I’d buy that for a dollar.
Don’t think Verhoeven is retconning this though – he’s literally a Jesus scholar and wrote a book on the historical Jesus. Plus Robocop walks on water in the movie.
He already said as much in the commentary track from the Criterion edition.
Yup. I think it even gets mention in the Movies That Made Us episode as well.
I remember when Jesus shot that guy in the dick through a woman’s skirt.(Editing to acknowledge that someone made this joke first, which I didn’t see.)
Have you seen “Our RoboCop Remake – Scene 27″ on Vimeo? It’s amazing. Also, DO NOT watch it at work.
FATAL FRAMESThe start of that scene replicated the original so well, I thought for a few moments it was original footage.Then … the additional things happened.
Shot in a crucifix pose and then walks through water before killing Clarence “Pontius” Boddicker. I think we got it (I even pointed this out in a previous comment section) when someone said that they wanted to see Verhoeven’s Jesus film that he’d already made it.
Military-grade weaponry and legal immunity Jesus is my second favorite Jesus.Right behind tiny little Baby Jesus, lying in his ghost manger wearing golden fleece diapers with tiny little fat balled up fists.
Thus why every Easter, after the kids hunt for eggs left by cyborg bunny rabbit, we sit down as a family and watch the holy trilogy. Our savior saved us from corrupt corporations, drug lords and Ninjas. Praise be to Robert Cop
You watch Robocop 3? That’s some Opus Dei level of fandom. Respect.
I’d swap in Critters 2 for RoboCop 3
And the TV show.
Booya! Love me some Robocop.
What about Robocop: The Animated Series?
Honestly how did so many 80’s/90’s high violence action flicks end up becoming kids cartoons or have toys and action figures based on them?
I was hoping someone would mention that. I was also hoping someone would remake it and bring back the cheesiness.
To think in 10 years, no one will even understand this joke.
Yea Jesus will be completely forgotten by then
I thought the American Jesus was E.T. as noted by Reverend Lovejoy on the Simpsons (the context is Homer supposedly seeing an alien).
“I remember another gentle visitor
from the heavens. He came in peace, and then died… only to come back
to life. And his name was: E.T., the extra-terrestrial. I love that
little guy.”
I assume you’ve reached out to Bad Religion for confirmation.
Seen him on the interstate
*gasp* Reverse stigmata! It all makes sense now!
“Bitches, leave.” – Pontius Pilate