Sexed up Mall Employees Hunted to Death by Killer Security Robots
Chopping Mall (1986) is a goofy horror flick about a bunch of randy mall employees staying overnight in the building to party and score… while being hunted down by killer robot security sentinels that have gone haywire.
[The movie was originally released under the name “Killbots”.]
The robots look like a combination of Johnny-Five from Short Circuit (1986) and Maximilian from The Black Hole (1979). There are some explosive kills that are a treat to watch and gore galore.
I enjoyed seeing Dick Miller in a minor role as a mall janitor. I remembered him from his roles as “Garbageman” in The ‘Burbs (1989), Mr. Futterman in Gremlins (1984) and the Pawn Shop Clerk in Terminator (1984).
Chopping Mall isn’t a spectacular film, but it’s a pretty good B-movie worth seeing if you like 80’s horror schlock.
Plot Summary from Wikipedia (Spoilers)
Park Plaza Mall has just installed a state-of-the-art security system, including shutters across all exits and three high-tech robots programmed to disable and apprehend thieves using tasers and tranquilizer guns. Four couples (Rick and Linda, Greg and Suzie, Mike and Leslie, and Ferdy and Allison) decide to have a party in a furniture store where three of them work. After hours, all of them (except Allison and Ferdy) begin to have sex, drink, and party inside the furniture store.
Outside, a lightning storm strikes the mall several times and damages the computer controlling Protectors 1, 2 and 3, which kill the technicians and a janitor before starting their routine patrol. Starting with Protector 1, Mike and Leslie get killed as they leave the store, witnessed by the others, who scatter. The men break into a sporting-goods store to arm themselves with firearms, while the women take gasoline and flares from an automotive store. Using a propane tank, the men blow up and seemingly destroy Protector 1. While the men set up the elevator as a booby trap, the killbots ambush the women and ignite Suzie by shooting her gasoline can, killing her. Greg unsuccessfully shoots them before Rick drags him away.
The teenagers regroup and rig the elevator trap on Protector 2, destroying it. They then hide in the restaurant where Allison works. Inside, Greg confronts Allison and Linda about leaving the air ducts and exhibits rage due to Suzie’s death, pulling his gun on Ferdy when he intercedes on Allison and Linda’s behalf. Rick tries to calm him down, and Ferdy suggests destroying the killbots’ main control center in hopes of shutting them all down. The group agrees and heads to the control center on the third floor. The robot throws Greg over the railing and he falls to his death.
On the run, the four remaining survivors, Allison, Ferdy, Rick, and Linda also find the first robot recovered after its earlier defeat. They take refuge inside a department store and set up mannequins to confuse Protector 1 and Protector 3. Their plan works as they fire at the dummies and one of them blinds itself with its own reflected laser. However, the blind Protector 3 kills Linda and an enraged Rick rams a golf cart into it. A bolt of electricity kills him, but his attempts successfully destroy the robot.
As the final robot called Protector 1 corners Allison, Ferdy rescues her and shoots it point-blank, damaging its laser just before he falls unconscious. Despite an injured leg, Allison escapes into Ellis Paint Company and sets up a trap by mixing paint and chemicals. She lures Protector 1 inside, where it gets stuck for failing to find traction on the spilled paint and thinners. She tosses a flare into the store, igniting the chemicals and finally destroys Protector 1. As daylight appears, Allison leaves the store and Ferdy awakens. The two remain the only survivors.
In a post-credits scene, a fourth, unknown Protector says its catchphrase “Have a nice day” one last time.
