Upgrade (2018) ***1/2
I had heard good things about Upgrade (2018), but I wasn't sure what to expect. I ended up really enjoying the film and it seems like one that will reward even more on revisits. Essentially a sci-fi actioner about a man who becomes superhuman via an implanted chip and seeks revenge for the tragedy that befell him and his wife—it delivers.
The tone is spot on—the humor never gets stupid and the darkness never becomes unbearable. It's fun but it also has just the right amount of gravitas. There are definite similarities to another 2018 film— Venom—as far as the concept and theme of autonomy goes, which is made even stranger given that Logan Marshall-Green bears more than a passing resemblance to Tom Hardy. I haven't seen that film so I can't comment, but from what I hear, Upgrade has a lot more to offer.
That's probably because, while there is a superhero vibe happening in this film, it's not tied to any existing property so there's nobody beholden to source material to piss off. And while there are certainly touches of other films scattered throughout, particularly the body horror of David Cronenberg and the voice of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) (review), Upgrade very much feels like its own film. And that film is a future noir with a stylish look, exciting action sequences that one can actually follow, a driving synth score, a pleasing blend of old and new tech, and a hell of an ending.
Recommended for fans of Death Wish (1974), The Terminator (1984), The Running Man (1987), The Guest (2014) (review), and Ex Machina (2014) (review).
The tone is spot on—the humor never gets stupid and the darkness never becomes unbearable. It's fun but it also has just the right amount of gravitas. There are definite similarities to another 2018 film— Venom—as far as the concept and theme of autonomy goes, which is made even stranger given that Logan Marshall-Green bears more than a passing resemblance to Tom Hardy. I haven't seen that film so I can't comment, but from what I hear, Upgrade has a lot more to offer.
That's probably because, while there is a superhero vibe happening in this film, it's not tied to any existing property so there's nobody beholden to source material to piss off. And while there are certainly touches of other films scattered throughout, particularly the body horror of David Cronenberg and the voice of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) (review), Upgrade very much feels like its own film. And that film is a future noir with a stylish look, exciting action sequences that one can actually follow, a driving synth score, a pleasing blend of old and new tech, and a hell of an ending.
Recommended for fans of Death Wish (1974), The Terminator (1984), The Running Man (1987), The Guest (2014) (review), and Ex Machina (2014) (review).
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