UPGRADE (2018)

1/11/18 - Upgrade (2018) - 6/10

Surprisingly pretty decent. A fairly engaging dark sci-fi action thriller. The premise is a byte Robocop, a bit John Wick and a bot of Venom (let me enjoy my computer nerd puns), as an AI implant helps a quadriplegic do much more than walk, as he seeks vengeance for his slain wife. The trailers did not impress me, but I was wrong and glad I watched it. It is succinct and strongly realized, delivering a fun and unique version of this cautionary tale.

The main actor may be given a role that is bordering on too gruff, but his near suicidal removal from who he was makes enough sense. It is quite impressive the physicality he employs while giving a diametrically opposed head/facial performance. It also provided a solid cyber near-future. Properly like our world but slightly…upgraded. It was prevalent, but not overly in your face. Never to the grandeur of a Blade Runner or gritty lived-in differentness of a Pacific Rim, but sufficiently believable and idealized, something like a Looper doesn’t pull off. It provides many elements of this future world without pointing at them or explaining them, they just are. I always appreciate that.

It is quick moving and pretty dark., making it an easy watch but not soft. Punches aren’t really pulled and it never tries to be your generic studio action fare. While fun, I can’t say it is perfect. Issues pop up as the main character faces his enemy who employs nanobots that are way overpowered. They are also grossly underused if so virile (who cares about a gun arm if a sneeze can murder?).

It definitely upgraded my expectations, delivering a solid and curt acting flick. Maybe nothing was out of this world or extraordinary, but the thought was there and the execution was sound. A certainly stalwart sci-fi choice for anybody’s unoccupied Friday night: just Upgrade it.