Upgrade

As a lover of action and sci-fi -- specifically really great action and sci-fi -- I love being surprised by either genre at the movies. 

With regards to science fiction, Ex Machina, remains a film constantly on my mind that, quite frankly, blew me away and I never really recovered. It was a total surprise for me when I saw it; a film that I was eager for because of the subject material but I didn't know if it would be that good.

When I think of some action films over the past few years, some pleasant surprises would have to include the first John Wick film which has now spawned a bankable franchise, deservedly so.

It's rare that I get the treat of seeing a surprisingly great sci-fi and action film at the same time. 

Fortunately with Upgrade, that's exactly what you get and, oddly enough, it seems most apt to describe it as some love child between Ex Machina and John Wick. If that's not some sort of sell for a movie then I don't know what is, but it's much better than whatever exactly the trailers/advertising for this film have been peddling. Going in, and based off a couple somewhat-forgettable trailers, I figured I was getting more of a gore-porn action flick with a twist. 

You see, Grey (played here by Tom Hardy lookalike Logan Marshall-Green) becomes paralyzed in a car accident and receives a chip inside his neck in order to help him walk again. The chip, STEM, has a bit of a mind of its own and there in lies the twist: Grey has essentially been "upgraded". The sci-fi elements definitely could have stopped there and delivered a solid action flick once Grey goes on the hunt to find his wife's killers. Luckily for us though, STEM becomes a key player and theme throughout and the film follows the typical revenge tropes but with some added twists and turns. Like most great science fiction, sticking the landing is important, but can often be divisive. Upgrade's ending didn't blow my mind, but I did like the direction it took and it was a lot better than where I thought it was going. It plays out as a higher-budget (but only just barely) Black Mirror episode with some added pizzazz. 

Me hunting for still images for this film.
Almost impossible to find

Don't feel sorry for him. He'll kick your ass

The film sits at 95 minutes which is probably where my only complaint lies. Before I discuss how stupendous the action is, you should know that it's rather minimal and, out of the 95 minutes, there's ample time where they could have fit more. Given that was one of the biggest marketing angles in the trailers -- and for the simple fact that the action really is that good -- it's surprising and a bit unfortunate that there's so little of it. Grey's detective work and conversations with STEM certainly take up a large chunk of time before everything starts to wrap up and I think if this film had wanted to be a cult classic, it could have packed in a little more action, or even extended the runtime a bit for one truly "wowza" scene. There's a certain anticipation between the action scenes that builds and makes the 95 minutes feel longer than it is, even if you are watching a good sci-fi flick. 

Upgrade's action is where the film really sets itself apart though making it all the more unfortunate that there isn't more of it and that a decent amount of it was spoiled in the trailers. It's fast paced, brutal, and often hilarious as STEM takes over Grey's body with his reactions to the chaos proving comedic. How he could choreographed fight and make certain faces (often disgusted) at the same time, I'm not sure, but his performance overall is impressive. The action is nicely complimented by some really nifty camera work, including fully spinning rotations. It feels fresh, much in the way John Wick did, and I personally hope they make more. The couple moments of shock gore work nicely too because of the humor in the STEM/Grey relationship. When thinking about time wasted in the film, perhaps the biggest culprit is actually an action scene - a car chase - that's so painfully boring and average I'm struggling to understand why they included it. Or why there was zero attempt to try and make it unique like the hand-to-hand combat.

Probably the best Venom movie we'll get this year if you catch my drift

I have a feeling that Upgrade could become a bit of a cult classic and I'd also be curious to know if a franchise is being entertained. Given the somewhat small release this weekend (I could only find a couple theaters with it) and the small-scale, somewhat false marketing, I'm not sure it will be all that successful. Which is a shame because it's definitely a film that feels like several parts stitched together with an outcome that's really much better than it has any right to be. 
 
CONS

• Feels long because there isn't enough action
• Except for a dreadfully boring car chase that soaks up time
• A bit of a cliche revenge story
• Some odd marketing for this film -- doesn't sell the sci-fi angle as much as the film focuses on it

PROS

• Has a solid sci-fi parable to tell and doesn't just forget this element of the film once the action starts
• Bonus points for a well-chosen, Black Mirror-esque ending
• Oddly captivating performance by Logan Marshall-Green who does some challenging work here
• The action, when it does happen, is highly original and awesome. It feels fresh and new thanks to some nifty camera work and good choreography
• There's also a fun element of humor in most of these scenes with some shock gore moments that work more than they distract
• Surprisingly great original score
• One of those rare films that stitches together a few ideas and works really well because of it. A pleasant surprise at the cinema! 

Rath's Review Score | 8/10