Review of Upgrade (2018) by Hector V — 22 Aug 2018

Upgrade's got great bones, a solid heart, but no brain. In a science-fiction setting sprinkled with action, the film lies somewhere on the spectrum between cyberpunk and superhero movie, and it's more than successful on both accounts, though not without a few flaws.

Visually, Upgrade is an outstanding achievement. A dark score and grungy, cleverly crafted settings create a tensely engaging mood that's at once beautiful and gross. The futuristic world looks the part with fantastic art design that feels advanced yet reasonably lived in, a feat made more impressive by the tiny budget it was built on, the Blumhouse Production signature.

The grimy atmosphere is matched by the surprising liberty Upgrade takes with its violence. With STEM's assistance and disturbing efficiency, the circumstances Grey finds himself take brutal turns sure to make even the most hardened of people squeamish. A good portion of sick (in both meanings of the word) body horror gives the film a unique edge that further stands it apart from other lesser science-fiction/action fare.

The resulting fight scenes boast great choreography heightened by the Six-Million Dollar Man premise. They're occasionally embellished with robotic camera flourishes that unfortunately downgrade their total effectiveness, but the net result is still damn good.

Before it can get too hard, Upgrade intermixes plenty of comedy bits that only partially work. These moments are carried to moderate success entirely by Marshall-Green's charisma, though they often get intrusive and clash with the film's aesthetically darker tone.

Similarly, the thematic explorations of Upgrade stumble. The film gives an appreciable effort at examining the relationship of dependency between man, machine, and computer, but it's lacking in nuance. Good science-fiction breathes to allows viewers to meditate on its themes naturally. Upgrade ironically forces its conceits about computer control on its audience, and it's not especially novel or thoughtful.

There isn't enough cyberpunk media in the world, that's a fact. Bless Blumhouse Productions for filling that gap with Upgrade, a terrific, thrilling take on the darker side of science-fiction. The film's R-rating was more than worth it.