The 1980s was a time for awe in cinema. Things still felt very fresh, but had enough of a modern touch that movies were in sort of a twilight period of creativity, retaining the potential of man but embracing the future of technology. The original RoboCop embodies this by blending man and machine into a one-man army.

Now, in 2014, that concept has been revisited for the age of public scrutiny of police, endless digital information, and roaming drones on U.S. soil. Set in the not-too-distant future, honest cop Alex Murphy finds himself the horrific recipient of an attempt on his life. Stripped of his humanity, Murphy’s only hope is the all-too-generous efforts of OmniCorp, who wants to use the cybernetically enhanced Murphy as the poster child for their robotic fighting forces. Caught in the middle of his own quest to reclaim his humanity, Murphy must fight the corruption that has claimed the city of Detroit.

So, the question on everyone’s mind: Does it hold up to the original? I think so. In the same way that the Dredd movie was entertaining without being too serious. Granted, this movie had a lot to say, but oddly maintained its silence. We don’t really get a scope of the futurism here. Rather, we get a quick glimpse of what could be.

And I think that’s the best way to approach this film. It’s not the ultimate RoboCop movie. It’s simply a quick glance into that world, trading violence for empathy. Perhaps for die-hard fans of the original, it could be considered disappointing. Personally, I enjoyed the film, but I also can’t fault others for not liking it.

The verdict? It’s worth a stream on Netflix.