Welcome to my first movie review and thank you for reading!
I’m beginning things a little differently then anticipated for my first review, as the only movie this week that I have any personal interest in seeing (the incredible-looking ‘Laissez bronzer les cadavres’) is not showing in any theater nearby at the moment. This being the case, I thought I’d cover a movie that I believe to be a hidden gem in the making, a movie which, according to its box office, a decent number of people missed out on. The movie I’m referring to is Leigh Whannell’s “Upgrade”, which has just been released on Blu Ray and DVD today.
A minor plot spoiler warning is in effect, as I will be giving a brief summary of the films premise, but I will avoid giving any details on important happenings in the movie (at least those that you don’t see in the trailer).
The Basics:
“Upgrade” takes place in the not-too-distant future, where drones and automation are now a regular part of life for seemingly everyone, including the technophobic Grey (Logan Marshall-Greene), who makes a living fixing old cars for nostalgic clients, and lives with his wife, Asha (Melanie Vallejo), who works for a massive tech company. When a horrible crime leaves Asha dead and Grey paralyzed below the neck, he is given the chance to receive an implant called “STEM”, which will allow him to walk again, and seek revenge on those who ruined his life.
The Details:
Let’s get one thing out of the way right off the bat; This movie is awesome. I’m still going to break down what exactly makes it so good but, and I’m being completely serious here, that’s all you really need to know. With that said, let's get down to business.
One of the most truly unique and well-realized science fiction premises we’ve gotten in years (that didn’t come from a previously existing work), turned into a brilliantly executed, hyper-violent, 80’s style dark-sci-fi romp, “Upgrade” takes the idea of “what if a human had a super computer that could control his actions”, something we've more or less seen in other movies in various forms, and runs to the hills with it. While the plot itself is as simple as its premise (man is wronged, gets tools to make it right, goes out for revenge), it’s how the movie plays with the idea of STEM that makes it special. When I tell you you’ve never seen action scenes play out quite like this, I absolutely mean it. The first time we see STEM in action (a scene you may have seen brief cuts of in the trailer) is an absolute jaw-dropper (in more ways than one, you’ll know what I mean), with cinematographer Stefan Duscio and the stellar editing team using quick and unnatural camera movements to project the feeling of being driven by something alien, following Grey’s now computer-controlled body through a fight in which he, much like the audience, is merely a passenger.
The film also nails parts of a cyberpunk aesthetic that we rarely get to see in live-action movies (a very big deal for yours truly, a born and bred lover of the grungier sci-fi scenes of films such as Blade Runner); Characters are introduced with guns implanted into their arms, probes protruding from their fingers, x-ray vision, and a few other fun abilities that I would be loathe to spoil for you here, and the film knows how to make use of the abilities of these enhanced individuals in ways that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
While the acting isn’t by any means a revelation in this film, I do have to make special mention of the range exhibited by Logan Marshall-Greene, who not only acquits himself incredibly well in moments of frantic action, with wonderful subtle touches in his body language that make his STEM-controlled movements feel automated, but really steps up to bat in more quiet scenes, bringing a lot of emotion and even humor to this otherwise dark movie.
I wish I could say equally great things about its story, and while I would be remiss to say that its poor by any stretch of the imagination, it is rather standard fare as far as revenge/conspiracy theory stories go, and I’m sure you’ll have an idea of where the story is headed about halfway through the film.
It should also be mentioned that this movie is NOT for the faint of heart, as Whannell brings his SAW chops to bear here in certain scenes that could easily be hard to watch for those turned off by over-the-top gore or, in terms of the cyborgs present in the film, moderate body horror.
Don’t let this dissuade you from giving this one a chance however, as you’d be missing out on quite possibly the most unique sci-fi action film of this year. The predictable story beats give way to incredible action scenes, propelled to greater heights by a thumping synth soundtrack and camera work that may set a new standard for action film-making. This movie probably won’t be winning any Oscars, and it won’t change the larger landscape of the film industry, but it’s an absolutely superb popcorn flick that any sci-fi or action junkie should rush out and see immediately.
I give this movie a solid 4 out of 5.
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