Chappie

“I am conscious. I am alive. I am Chappie.”

“Chappie” is a beautifully made film with an excellent story about morality, mortality, and possible immortality.

Written and directed by (relative) newcomer, Neill Blomkamp, this is a story that makes you open your mind to the possibilities of the transference of one’s conscience to another vessel. (or to dumb it down for you: to move your mind to another body so you may live on forever and ever.)

Now, this is just a small part of what I took from the film. There were also plenty of other lessons on morality in this film too.

There was the question of child-rearing. Chappie (Sharlto Copley) is a robot with a new program installed in him. This program is “Artificial Intelligence” (or A.I.). When he is first switched on by his “maker” (Dev Patel), he has the brain of an infant. But in Chappie’s case, he has the ability to learn at an extraordinary rate. The drawback to this is, who is to bring him up? If his “maker” is to teach him how to be a good “being,” then Chappie could grow up to be anything he sets his mind to. On the flip side, if thugs and gangstas are to bring him up, then what are the chances he too grows up to be a thug or gangsta?

See the conundrum here?

There’s also the question of environment. Does the environment you are placed in make you who you are? I mean, if you grow up in a ghetto that’s filled with gangstas and and druggies give you more of a chance of following that path and turning to a life of crime and drugs?
Or, if you are placed in the care of a loving parent, would you also learn to love and to be kind? Would learning the difference of right from wrong be learned more easily in one environment or another environment?
Listen, I’m not giving you the answers here, I’m just asking the questions that seemed to present themselves as I watched this film.

Then there is the question of bullying. Chappie is bullied by some young thugs in this film. These young men attack Chappie for no apparent reason at all. Was he attacked because he looked different? Did he do something wrong? Did the young mens environment have something to do with them being bullies?
I did not like this scene. I felt the pain Chappie was feeling. (and Chappie is a robot…. and I STILL felt his pain!)

Anyways, those were just some of the questions that were running through my head as I watched this film.

Before I go any further I think I should tell you if I liked this film or not.
I absolutely loved this film. I think it is Blomkamp’s best film to date. Granted, he only has three films to date that I know of. The other two were “Elysium” (which I liked a lot) and “District 9” (which I absolutely loved).

In this film I can see growth in Blomkamp’s storytelling. He seems to have all his characters precisely pinpointed to where they need to be.
Dev Patel (as Dion Wilson) hits his mark and a loving, caring, father-figure.

Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Vincent Moore (a bully in his own right), hits his mark as a power hungry egomaniac who will stop at nothing to have the upper hand on Dion Wilson.

Here’s a little flaw for me. As well as Sigorney Weaver portrayed the role of Michelle Bradley, a CEO of the company that produced these robots, I found her character to be the most forgettable in the film.

You know who I did love though? Yolandi and Ninja.
Yolandi (magnificently played by Yolandi) was the mother-figure to Chappie in this film.
And Ninja (majestically portrayed by Ninja) was the son-of-a-bitch step-father to Chappie.
That’s right, these two actors played themselves as characters in the film, and to tell you the truth, it was so refreshing to see such interesting, over-the-top characters. Sometimes I will see characters in films that make me cringe in my seat. (Usually characters like these two). But for some reason these two riveting entities had me both loving and hating them at the same time.
Personally, I thought they were standouts in the film.

But once again, the best part of this film was Chappie… and once again, the man who stole the show for me was Sharlto Copley.
Who is Sharlto Copley? Well let me tell you. Ever since he jumped on the American scene in “District 9” I’ve been fixated on his roles. He was so unique in “District 9.” I was entranced by his oddball portrayal of Wikus Van Der Merwe in that film. I loved him in “Elysium.” He was mesmerizing in “Oldboy.” And I think he was the best part of “The A-Team” as Howling-Mad Murdock.
As Chappie, he had a whole different type of character. He was ghetto, he was gangsta, he was cool… He was Chappie.
(Then again, maybe it’s just his South African accent that’s gotten me to fall in love with his characters. Hey, it’s happened before. Anytime Kate Beckinsale opens her mouth I just melt from that accent.)

You know what I also love about Neill Blomkamp? I love that he uses his home country for his films. I love seeing the landscapes of Johannesburg, South Africa. Whenever I watch his films I love to look all around the backgrounds and see what type of environments are over there. (Many times they are rundown and dilapidated, but it is always an interesting place to see from afar).

I think Neill Blomkamp made a beautiful and intelligent film that opens up some doors on the struggles of our society, while telling the story from a robot that is not even remotely from our society…

…at least not yet.

Matty W. Kelley, reporting
mattywkelley.com

Fun Fact: Yolandi and Ninja are part of the rap/rave group, Die Antwoord.

Fun Matty Fact: Up until 47 seconds ago, I had never even heard of the rap/rave group, Die Antwoord.
THANK YOU WIKIPEDIA!