The KillBots are the main antagonists in Chopping Mall.
Biography[]
The three robots had been created by Dr. Stan Simon, as part of his Protector 101 series. The robots were originally designed to be used for security purposes in the Park Plaza Mall, and thus were linked up to a criminal database and equipped with various items such as tasers and tranquilizer guns, in the case a criminal was detected.
However, one night, after the mall closes, a lightning storm strikes the mall, damaging the A.I. controlling the robots, and, as to be expected, causing them to become evil. The robots proceed to murder the pair of technicians sent to look after them, as well as a janitor, before they disband and begin their routine patrol of the mall, in which a group of young teenage friends who work at the mall are holding a party in the furniture store.
Whilst patrolling the mall, Protector 1 encounters one of the teens, Mike, whom is out getting a cigarette for his girlfriend Leslie. Protector 1 quickly kills him by tearing out his throat, and after Leslie goes out looking for him and finds his body, Protector 1 kills her as well by blowing up her head with a laser beam. Her death is witnessed by the other teens, who quickly scatter, pursued by Protectors 1 and 2.
The rest of the teens lock themselves in a backroom, where they try to escape through an air vent. However, after the three ladies manage to get in, the KillBots break down the door with plastic explosives, forcing the guys to flee through a back door, leaving the guys and the girls separated. The men break into a sporting-goods store to arm themselves with firearms, and seemingly destroy Protector 1 after they blow it up with a propane tank. Meanwhile, the other KillBots heat up the vents in an attempt to, as Suzie says, "french-fry [the ladies]". However, the girls simply break out of the vents and drop down into an automotive store, where they too arm themselves with flares and gasoline tanks.
Whilst the guys are setting up a trap for the robots involving the mall's elevator, Protector 1 gets back up. Shortly after, Protector 2 chases the three ladies, and kills Suzie by shooting her gasoline can, which explodes and sets her on fire. Greg unsuccessfully shoots them before Rick drags him away.
Protector 2's destruction[]
Protector 2's destruction.
After the remaining teens regroup, they lure Protector 2 into the boobytrapped elevator. The teens then shoot at the propane tanks positioned on top of the elevator, which explode, sending the KillBot crashing down to its demise.
The remaining teens then take refuge inside a restaurant where one of them, Allison, works. There, they hatch a plan to shut the robots down on the mall's main computer. However, after they rush up to the control center on the third floor, Protector 3 appears, and throws one of the teens, Greg over the railing to his death. The bots then chase the four remaining survivors into a department store, where they set up a row of mannequins in an effort to confuse Protectors 1 and 3.
Protector 3's destruction[]
Rick driving into Protector 3.
The two KillBots start shooting at the mannequins out of confusion, where the teens unsheath a row of mirrors behind the mannequins. The mirrors reflect Protector 3's laser beam back into itself, blinding it and causing it to start firing off lasers randomly. One of these lasers hits another teen, Linda, in the chest, killing her, sending her husband Rick in a blind rage. Rick hops onto a nearby motor vehicle and drives into the robot, which kills him, but also successfully destroys the robot.
Protector 1's destruction[]
KillBot 1 being destroyed in the explosion
While Alison and her love interest Ferdy are looking for the control system, the final robot, Protector 1, corners Allison in one of the stores. Ferdy rescues her and shoots Protector 1 point-blank, damaging its laser just before he falls unconscious. Despite an injured leg, Allison escapes into the paint store 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 destroying Protector 1. As daylight appears, Ferdy reawakens, and he and Allison leave the mall together.
Trivia[]
- The robots were designed by Robert Short, who says he took inspiration from the robot from Gog (1954). They were reportedly able to travel up to 8 miles per hour on set.
- The KillBots were voiced by the film's director, Jim Wynorski, only because the filmmakers had no one else who was able to do it.