You couldn’t have a list of all-time robot greats without this crime fighting guy. Source: Supplied
SURE, we may have functional artificial intelligence and self-aware Roombas plotting to take over the world, but in a time when science-fiction has become reality there’s something to be said for man’s best friend on the big screen: the robot.
Hugh Jackman — the OG shirtless Australian wonder (sorry, Hemsworth brothers) — is no stranger to mechanical co-stars, having scored a big hit with Real Steel and duelled with the merciless Sentinels in X-Men: Days Of Future Past.
This year he’s preparing to do a binary solo with yet another robot in sci-fi blockbuster Chappie. South African filmmaker Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium) unites Jackman with Dev Patel, Sigourney Weaver and music oddities Die Antwoord to tell the story of an experimental robot — Chappie — who learns to think and feel, but must also defend himself from forces determined to take him down. Think Wall-E — but with guns.
With the newest addition to the cast of cinematic toasters with a soul set to hit the big screen next month (March 12), we take a look at the best movie robots:
BAYMAX
Like a cross between the Michelin Man and a Tamagotchi, Disney gave new life to the Marvel comic book character in their now Oscar-winning animated hit. In a film comprised of colourful kid superheroes, Baymax became the breakout star of Big Hero 6 with his adorable one liners (“hairy baby”) and lovable loyalty.
Big hero 6 took home best animated feature at this year’s Oscars. Source: Supplied
ROBOCOP
Part man, part machine, all cop. The privatisation of protection and gentrification are just two of the major themes tackled with Paul Verhoeven’s dystopian Robocop. While the reboot debuted with a whimper, the ultimate police officer endures — kitsch costume and all.
FEMBOTS
With Austin Powers sequel The Spy Who Shagged Me, Mike Myers confirmed what audiences had known for years: Liz Hurley was actually a robot. Well, at least when she’s in front of the camera. Along with Blade Runner’s Pris, Rachael and Evil Maria from Metropolis, Myers gave us one of the few female representations of the robotic form. Keeping in tone with the spy spoof series, he extrapolated the sexuality and danger of the feminine mystique. As Powers himself said: “Machine gun jubblies!”
Warnie’s ex-wife was in fact a robot. Source: News Corp Australia
JARVIS
When the chips are down and Tony Stark has had no one else to turn to, it’s his artificial intelligence creation Jarvis that has come to Iron Man’s rescue — complete with dry, British wit. As we’ve learned in the stellar Agent Carter series, Jarvis is named after the real life butler to Stark’s father Howard.
C-3PO and R2-D2
What’s Batman without Robin? And what’s C-3PO without R2-D2? Integral parts of the Star Wars universe, the bickering double team may grace the silver screen again this December when Disney relaunch the series with J.J Abrams.
R2D2 and C3PO could be the most watched robot characters of all time. Source: Supplied
OPTIMUS PRIME
While the films in Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise are less ‘movies’ than they are ‘glossy advertisements in disguise’, there’s a lot to be said for the faux father figure and leader of the Autobots: Optimus Prime. Beautifully realised on the big screen by groundbreaking visual effects, he’s one of the biggest and most bad-ass mechanical movie stars.
BISHOP
When it comes to humanoid robots, few filmmakers nailed it harder than Ridley Scott in his Alien universe. From the sadistic Ash (Ian Holm) in Alien to Michael Fassbender’s incredible performance as David in Prometheus, it’s Lance Henriksen’s Bishop that reigns supreme. There’s a reason he’s the only character to hang in the franchise as long as Sigourney Weaver’s Lt. Ellen Ripley.
Optimus Prime in a scene from Transformers: Age of Extinction. Source: Supplied
MARVIN THE PARANOID ANDROID
Before there was the sarcastic Sonny from iRobot or even the deadpan TARS from Interstellar, there was Marvin the Paranoid Android. A fan favourite from the first airing of Douglas Adams’ 1978 sci-fi comedy radio series The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy — and later the novels and television series — he was beautifully brought to automated life in the 2005 feature film adaptation starring Zooey Deschanel. Voiced by award-winning dwarf actor Warwick Davis, Marvin and his depressing quips have reached cult status with T-shirts, toys and endless merch adorned with his face — much to his disapproval.
Marvin’s moody disposition proved to be an endearing trait for audiences. Source: News Limited
T-101
Not the original, but arguably the best. The ultimate killing machine, it’s Arnie’s most iconic role. There’s yet another Terminator reboot coming this year so it seems he will, indeed, be back.
WALL-E
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that Disney own all the best robots in Hollywood.
After hundreds of lonely years of doing what he was built for — cleaning up the planet, WALL-E discovered a new purpose in life when he encounters a sleek search robot named EVE. Source: Supplied
