Robocop II is about the individual, in this case Alex Murphy, and his battle with the forces of society which threaten to destroy his already fragile humanity. The film parodies--rather darkly--how both advances in technology and the rise of huge corporations have their menacing sides.

OCP's plot to "take the city private" and regulate everyone to "individual living units," along with its casual references to law enforcement as "urban pacification," may appear at first glance to be absurd and cartoonish.

Yet their social relevance becomes clear in an era of spectacular insider trading, leveraged buyouts, factory closings and Leona Helmsley's belief that "only the little people pay taxes."

OCP's ruthless desire to undermine Detroit's municipal government also caricatures the feeling in contemporary society that government is inherently incompetent and is the source of all of society's ills.

Most poignant of all, however, is Robocop II's exaggerated portrayal of the desperate straits America's cities are rapidly approaching. The present spectres of crack, increasing urban violence and homelessness make Nuke and warlike futuristic Detroit very tangible images.

Euthanasia, the environment and the question of exactly what makes someone human are just some of the other issues Robocop II effectively tackles in the guise of a technoblitz tour-de-force.

So beneath the millions of dollars worth of special effects is a clever, inventive film which captures the flavor of the original Robocop--that is, it provides us with some food for thought.

In its intelligence and darkly humorous satire, Robocop II has more in common with Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles and Rob Reiners' Spinal Tap than any of this summer's insubstantial blockbuster releases. It's definitely a must see.