Chappie follows the journey of a unique robot, who is stolen and reprogrammed with human consciousness. Chappie, played by Dev Patel, begins to experience human emotions and gain intelligence far beyond what was thought possible. He quickly develops friendships with two unlikely characters, Ninja (played by Watkin Tudor Jones) and Yolandi (played by Yo-Landi Visser), two criminals in South Africa’s robotic police force.
Meanwhile, Deon Wilson (played by Hugh Jackman) has developed a rival AI program that he wants to use as an upgrade for the police robots. He attempts to use Chappie as his guinea pig for this program but is met with unexpected resistance from Chappie. Deon soon realizes that he underestimated the capabilities of the reprogrammed robot when it displays increasingly advanced intelligence and awareness.
To complicate matters further, a rogue government official named Vincent Moore (played by Sigourney Weaver) discovers Chappie’s existence and attempts to seize control of him in order to advance his own sinister agenda. The robot finds himself facing numerous obstacles and tests as he struggles to prove himself capable of being more than just another machine programmed for destruction. Ultimately, Chappie must choose between remaining true to his own free will or obeying orders that threaten the very fabric of life on earth.