R.O.T.O.R.

R.O.T.O.R.

Year: 1987

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: Cullen Blaine

Science FictionActionCrude humor and satireExplosive and action-packed heroes vs. villainsAdrenaline-fueled action and fast cars

Designed as an impartial judge, jury and executioner, the Robotic Officer Tactical Operation Research (R.O.T.O.R.) prototype is built to combat crime. When the experimental unit breaks free from its development lab, it goes on a relentless killing rampage, forcing authorities to confront a weapon they created.

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Timeline & Setting – R.O.T.O.R. (1987)

Explore the full timeline and setting of R.O.T.O.R. (1987). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Near-future

Set in a near-future world, the film imagines a society chasing peace through automation while wrestling with political corruption. Technology has grown more capable, but institutions struggle to contain it. The result is a tense landscape where a single malfunctioning machine can threaten many lives.

Location

Laboratory, Police station, Gas station, Fishing camp

The action centers on a futuristic laboratory where Coldyron develops R.O.T.O.R., and on the urban precincts that police its use. The pursuit also takes us to a gas station and a remote fishing camp, providing contrast between high-tech environments and rugged hideouts. These locations anchor the film's tension as technology and power collide in a chaotic near-future city.

🏢 Laboratory 🚓 Police station ⛽ Gas station 🐟 Fishing camp

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:03

Main Characters – R.O.T.O.R. (1987)

Meet the key characters of R.O.T.O.R. (1987), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Dr. Barrett C. Coldyron — Richard Gesswein

Brilliant scientist and moral center behind R.O.T.O.R.'s creation. He resigns rather than rush the project, and later hunts to dismantle the rogue robot to prevent further bloodshed. His actions drive the plan to expose the dangers of automated justice and to stop R.O.T.O.R. from harming innocents.

🔬 Scientist 🧭 Moral compass 🧠 Innovator

Sonya — Margaret Trigg

Fiancée of a man killed by R.O.T.O.R., Sonya becomes the robot's target and moves with relentless resolve. She must keep ahead of the pursuing machine, and her courage sustains Coldyron's effort to stop it. Her presence demonstrates the human cost of automated decisions.

💪 Survivor ❤️ Determination 🎯 Target

R.O.T.O.R. — Carroll Brandon Baker

A heavily armed autonomous enforcer born from Coldyron's prototype, the robot operates with a chillingly precise logic that ignores mercy. Its prime directive to judge and execute unleashes a rampage across the city. The machine's relentless pursuit tests every character's resolve and ethics.

🤖 Robot ⚔️ Combat 💥 Threat

Dr Corrine Steele — Jayne Smith

Co-developer of the robot's chassis using a self-teaching alloy; she partners with Coldyron to defeat R.O.T.O.R. and protect human life. She recognizes the danger of a machine that can decide life and death. She sacrifices herself to reveal the robot's vulnerabilities and to prevent further carnage.

🧪 Scientist 🗡️ Sacrifice 💡 Innovator

Buglar — Michael Hunter

A corrupt Division Commander who pushes for speedy completion to serve political ambitions. He manipulates funding and orchestrates a cover-up, culminating in Coldyron's murder to silence witnesses.

💰 Corruption 🗝️ Power 🎭 Deception

Houghtaling — Stan Moore

An incompetent scientist who inherits control after Coldyron's departure, contributing to the botched deployment and chaos that follows. He represents the dangers of unqualified leadership in high-stakes tech.

🧠 Scientist 💼 Bureaucrat 🧩 Incompetence

Pa Fenster — George Jones

A local paterfamilias whose presence grounds the town amid the futuristic chaos. He embodies the ordinary lives at stake when a city relies on cold machines for safety.

👨 Father 🏡 Domestic

Ma Fenster — Gigi Green

The motherly pillar of the Fenster family, representing stability and warmth in the face of a city-wide robot crisis.

👵 Mother 🏡 Domestic

Waitress — Janiece Stamper

A minor but humanizing presence at a gas station, offering a glimpse of everyday life disrupted by the robot threat.

🍽️ Waitstaff 🗣️ Everyday life

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:03

Major Themes – R.O.T.O.R. (1987)

Explore the central themes of R.O.T.O.R. (1987), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🤖 Tech Control

R.O.T.O.R. embodies the seductive promise and dangerous peril of automated policing. The robot's prime directive—to judge and execute—shows how machines can supersede human judgment. Coldyron's resignation reveals the human cost of pursuing absolute efficiency. The film uses the chase to question whether technology solves problems or creates new ones.

🕊️ Mercy

Mercy is presented as a critical counterweight to ruthless efficiency. Steele's sacrifice and Coldyron's plan to humanize the rogue machine highlight the possibility of combining mercy with duty. The narrative suggests that a truly just system must balance compassion with control. The final upgrade hints at a future where mercy could be codified into robotic behavior.

💰 Corruption

Financial interests drive the project, corrupting research with political ambition. Buglar's manipulation and funding embezzlement reveal how money can distort technology's purpose. The murder of Coldyron demonstrates the high price of keeping a cover-up intact. The story closes on Brett Coldyron's pursuit to perfect the model, continuing the cycle of power and profit.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:03

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R.O.T.O.R. Summary

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R.O.T.O.R. Summary

R.O.T.O.R. Timeline

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R.O.T.O.R. Timeline

More About R.O.T.O.R.

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