Chappie (2015) is Neill Blomkamp's Best Movie Yet | An Underrated Sci-Fi Gem & A Trilogy That Deserves Completion

"soon as [critics] encounter a piece of art they don't fully understand the first time going through it, they think it's the fault of the movie or the work of art. They think, 'It's a mess ... This doesn't make any sense.' And they reject it, just out of an almost knee-jerk response to some ambiguity or some gulf between what they expect they should be able to understand, and what they understand."

"...They will call it messy, or complicated, or undecided whether it's trying to say something New Agey-profound or not. And we're wrestling with the same things that Dickens and Hugo and David Mitchell and Herman Melville were wrestling with. We're wrestling with those same ideas, and we're just trying to do it in a more exciting context than conventionally you are allowed to."

Quoted above is what Lilly Wachowski had to say in an interview after releasing Cloud Atlas (2012), which she co-directed.The movie was a total masterpiece that had polarizing reception and became box office flop (while also being the most expensive indie film made at that point in history AFAIK).

Chappie (2015): Mismarketed and Misunderstood

This is the best official trailer I could find that doesn't sell the movie too wrong. It is still not a perfect representation of what the movie is about. Chappie is about the birth of a consciousness. It is like a beautiful story of a child being born; a child with abilities beyond any human being...... and born into a fucked up world raised by peopled who have been fucked up by the said world.

That is what helps create a strong fan base for this movie. That is why I fall in love with this movie after ignoring it for 6 years because the reviews were not that great. None of the reviewers had any idea what this movie is even about!

Chappie (2015) talks about childhood in a cosmic/existential stage. It is about what the world does to the consciousness of those who are born into it which in return makes us think again about the messed up people in the world and how/why they turned into what they are and memetics they tend to spread across.

Few Tributes To Chappie (2015) - Spoilers!



VFX That Nails Photorealism

Neill Blomkamp has this inedible talent to make science fiction that look realistic as if it is something you would see in everyday life. In fact, I think he will be a great director for a Patlabor live action movie.

It is not just about the VFX. The story itself comes across somewhat anti-cinematic as if it is not something that is following a standard formula. Neill Blomkamp looks into unlikely scenarios where AI does not get born in a lab growing around scientists but grow around the worst ghettos of a crime filled city getting corrupted by criminals and hurt by the world around while being hated by some very smart and very powerful humans with their own agendas.




One Review I Can Agree With

The Reel Rejects is the only review on YouTube I could find that loved the movie. He seems to get what the movie was going for. You cannot judge a work of art for not being what you wanted it to be just the same way you can't judge a person negatively for not having the same thoughts and preferences as you.

The actors were all on point acting exactly what they needed to do to fulfill those roles. In fact I think the acting was at an A- in this movie. Nothing will blow your mind in terms of performance. It is just acting that perfectly get the job done.

Make The Chappie Trilogy

Neill Blomkamp wrote it as one. Due to the financial failure of the first movie, there is very little chance we will ever get the sequels. I would love to experience what the rest of the movies could offer and wish to see them at least in an animated form. Neill Blomkamp is good with those things too:

Community Reviews That Paint The Correct Picture

Give Chappie A Chance!



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One of my favourite movies of all time! Never knew it did so bad at the box office or that so many missed the point of the movie. Even though I’ve watched it several times I still find it emotive and thought provoking, and it even throws a nice bit of humour in as a bonus too😎 What more do people want?!!

Enjoyed reading your take on the film but I’m afraid I can’t watch the behind the scenes video links as they always take away the magic of the movie for me. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed your post so thanks 🙏

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