upgrade film review
this is one of those films i’ve heard a lot about but have clearly been sleeping on. i recently gained access to a particular library of films from a certain beneficiary that will remain anonymous. due to their generosity, and this film being in said library… i figured i’d give it a shot.
damn is this a fun one. after the first watch, it honestly feels like a black mirror episode with a higher budget. (mild early-movie spoilers ahead, but nothing crazy). we start in a bleak near-future society where technology does everything for us as a species except wipe our ass. grey (our protagonist) is presented as an individual who actively rejects the high-tech lifestyle in favor of getting his hands dirty in the garage. he endures a devastating accident, leaving him a quadriplegic. he is presented in secret with a chip implant that would restore his autonomy. he accepts without reading the fine print, and all hell breaks loose. that’s all you’re getting out of me here.
it’s an excellent story with a tragic and dire twist, albeit a bit predictable. what stands out in this one to me is clearly the camera work and visual storytelling. there are several scenes where we get a locked on motion-tracked camera effect when the computer chip inside of grey takes over. it’s just enough to be immersive without inducing motion sickness. the film is also rich with a high-tech brutalist atmosphere, with stunning frames of sci-fi elements blended into a more familiar environment. the visual effects and fight choreo were also a standout. the runtime passed quickly, and it thoroughly held my attention captive.
if you know me, you know that a bad ending can ruin my cinematic experience. any ending where everyone is screwed, there is zero closure, unanswered questions… i don’t love it. that might make me a casual, but i struggle to care. this film did a great job of having a good ending disguised as a horrible ending. upon the black screen, i was satisfied and received enough closure to not want to crash out on my instagram story.
among the few moments i couldn’t quite suspend my disbelief enough, i found myself satisfactorily jazzed about this movie. probably the best action movie experience i’ve had since ilya naishuller’s nobody (2021). 9.5/10, should’ve watched this one sooner. i’m not sure where it’s streaming at, but if it’s not available anywhere, it’s certainly worth renting for a few bucks.
