MPR News Arts Reporter and Cube Critic Euan Kerr joins Steve Seel and Jill Riley to discuss a new film about a police robot that's programmed to think and feel for itself.

Directed by Neill Bomkamp, Chappie is an urban fairytale about a man who makes robots to help the police in Johannesburg fight crime. The titular robot, Chappie, is stolen by a local gang who try to reprogram the robot to help them commit crimes. And the story becomes a morality tale as the robot becomes a sentient being developing its own conscience. The film stars Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver and Dev Patel.

"It's part 'Robocop', part 'Bambi'," Euan says. "I really appreciate Neill Blomkamp's post-punk sensibility."

Other film critics are saying the story doesn't hang together well. "I think this is a movie that's going to be a cult favorite," Euan says. "It's not going to make a huge amount of money. But it's a fairytale; you go with it."

Chappie is rated R and is playing in theaters everywhere.

Related

• 'Chappie' - official site