I am consciousness. I am alive. I am Chappie.|Mar. 04, 2015|South Africa, United States|120 Min.|TV-14
Genre: Action;Crime;Science;Fiction
Description: “Chappie,” released in 2015, is a science fiction film that unfolds in Johannesburg, South Africa. The story begins as the city’s rising crime rate prompts authorities to deploy a squad of advanced armored attack robots, known as scouts, developed by weapons manufacturer Tetravaal. These autonomous androids are the brainchild of British scientist Deon Wilson. Their effectiveness in combating crime leads to their widespread use, significantly reducing the reliance on human police officers. Meanwhile, Tetravaal also houses a competing project called MOOSE, a remote-controlled heavy weapons platform designed by Australian engineer Vincent Moore. Vincent becomes increasingly resentful as his project receives less attention compared to Deon’s successful scouts.
Deon secretly develops a prototype artificial intelligence capable of emulating human emotions and thoughts. However, Tetravaal’s CEO, Michelle Bradley, denies him permission to test this AI on a police robot. Determined to proceed, Deon retrieves a damaged robot slated for destruction, equips it with the new software, and takes it home, hoping to continue his experiment. Along the way, he is abducted by a gang led by Ninja, Yolandi, and Amerika. Learning that the police robots lack remote controls, the gang pressures Deon to reprogram the damaged robot for their purposes.
Deon installs the AI into the robot, resulting in the creation of Chappie, a robot with a childlike demeanor and the ability to learn. Yolandi, taking on a maternal role, nurtures Chappie, while Ninja grows frustrated with its slow development. Their urgency is heightened by a looming debt of 20 million rand owed to a man named Hippo, as well as Chappie’s limited battery life, which leaves him with just days to function.
The film explores themes of artificial intelligence, morality, and human-robot relationships, set against the backdrop of a crime-ridden Johannesburg. As Chappie navigates his newfound consciousness, he becomes entangled in the gang’s desperate attempts to settle their debt, leading to a series of dramatic and thought-provoking events.
Cast director: Neill Blomkamp
Cast actor: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman, Ninja, Yolandi Visser, Sigourney Weaver, Chris Shields, Anderson Cooper, José Pablo Cantillo, Brandon Auret
Original name: Chappie