Rob1n

If you talk to director´s, film producers and actors what year they really struggled then i guarantee some of them will definetely mention the year of 2020. The year the pandemic started made it impossible to have normal red carpet premiere´s, cinemas were shutting down everywhere and film projects were delayed. Obviously they had to be careful so people wouldn´t get infected with Covid-19, and this also caused a lot of economical damage to new films coming out. Thankfully many films were able to have digital releases earlier than planned ( films that i was sure would get a cinema release ), so we were able to see films in our homes instead. Let´s mention one of the releases that went straight to streaming instead of cinemas and that is the 2020 historical legal drama film The Trial Of The Chicago 7 from director Aaron Sorkin. Originally planned to be released in cinemas from Paramount Pictures, the distribution rights of this film were sold to Netflix due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I did watch this film during the pandemic and it is really good. It is very interesting from a historical perspective taking place in 1968, have some really powerful acting performances from Eddie Redmayne, Frank Lagella, Michael Keaton, Mark Rylence and i was very surprised how good comedian actor Sacha Baron Cohen is in this film. I love the costume design, really good cinematography from Phedon Papapmichael and director Aaron Sorkin proved once more what a fantastic film maker he is. Definetely worth a watch on Netflix if you have not seen this one. During the pandemic some films did get some attention on physical media such as the British independent horror film The Jack In The Box from director Lawrence Fowler. A demonic clown coming out of a toy box is a fun concept and this actually worked well in this film. The demonic clown design looks really good and i enjoyed this film in general. The two sequels that followed are ok, but it´s the original film you should watch. Speaking of director Lawrence Fowler he released his latest film Rob1n during spring this year, a horror film that looks similar to films such as M3GAN or the 2019 remake of Child´s Play. Is this one of the titles that you should watch this autumn or is Rob1n a horror film that will be easily forgotten?

11-year-old Robin ( Maximillian Cherry ) is celebrating his birthday by killing the guests including his own mother. Robin is shot dead at the crime scene. 34 years later Robin´s father robotics expert Aiden ( Simon Davies ) channels the grief of losing his son into creating Rob1n, his robotic companion to keep him company in his old mansion. Aiden´s nephew Leo ( Ethan Taylor ) and his fiancé Lexi ( Leona Clarke ) travel to visit Aiden to repair their family relationship plus invite Aiden to their upcoming wedding. It is here at the mansion they are introduced to meet Rob1n, who may seem harmless until you get to know him,

While i was watching Rob1n i was reminded of the 2022 animated Netflix film Pinocchio from director Guillermo del Toro. Not that there are many similarities between these films, except for one specific detail. In the 2022 animated version woodcarver Gepetto loses his son Carlo to an aerial bombardment. Twenty years later, he uses the pine wood in Carlo´s grave to create a puppet that reminds him of his dead son. In the film Rob1n we see a more modern version of Gepetto, here known as Aiden played by actor Simon Davies who wants his dead son back through a robot that he built. This concept works well with the plot and i do think the modern twist was needed to make it work. The biggest highlight of Rob1n is without a doubt the robot itself. I think the design of the robot looks great with a different facial structure and i do enjoy seeing him kill different victims. When it comes to the human characters i personally feel that the character Aiden is the most fascinating one. What secrets of the past is he covering up? Actor Simon Davies deliver a charming gentleman performance in true classic British style. Actors Ethan Taylor and Leona Clarke have a nice chemistry on the big screen. Director Lawrence Fowler have proved in the past he is a good horror director and once more we get to see him deliver another tasteful treat with Rob1n. It may not be as good as the original The Jack In The Box film, but i still feel that Rob1n have a lot to say, especially how heavy it is griefing your dead child and the process to find a reason to go on. If you are a fan of classic horror films such as Child´s Play then it is possible you will appreciate Rob1n. A very simple constructed slasher horror film that actually works, Rob1n would be a perfect retirement home friend for me in the future.

Rating: DDD