The Machine (FILM REVIEW)
The Machine
Film Review
by Kam Williams
Scientists and Military Struggle of Robot in Futuristic Sci-Fi Thriller
Vincent McCarthy (Toby
Stephens) is an
English computer genius conducting experiments in Artificial Intelligence with
the assistance of Ava (Caity Lotz), a brilliant scientist
recently arrived from the United
States. He’s highly motivated because he
hopes to mend his mentally-disabled daughter.
However,
Vincent’s research is being
underwritten by Britain’s
Ministry of Defense which might have less peaceful plans for the fruits of his
labors. The plot thickens soon after Ava perishes in an accident, and he implants
her brain in the body of a robot which looks just like her and… Voila! A babelicious
cyborg is born!
Ava 2.0 is so naïve she can neither
understand the concept of death nor appreciate her own superhuman strength.
That innocence taps into Vincent’s protective parental instincts.
Unfortunately, the army is only
interested in weaponizing what they see as an invention with unlimited military
potential. After all, it’s currently in an arms race with a resurgent China, and Ava
will give the West the competitive edge.
Written and directed by Caradog W.
James, The Machine is a very compelling sci-fi thriller, for a film resting on
a preposterous premise. The film is blessed with shadowy cinematography and
just the right pseudo-scientific babblt to make this critic think maybe it’s
all possible.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the
title character is cute and curvy and not a confounding concatenation of nuts
and bolts. This cautionary tale also has a sobering message to share about the
perils of allowing technology to fall into the wrong hands.
Beware, the Manchurian android!
Very Good
(3 stars)
Rated R
for violence and profanity
Running time: 91 minutes
Distributor: XLrator
Media
To see a trailer for The
Machine, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF6l4LAmN8A
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