‘Upgrade’ Revels In Bloody Revenge And Plot Simplicity [Review]

The recent enthusiasm for low-budget, sci-fi dystopia and art house horror has been a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately, such films can become overshadowed by the very nature of summer blockbusters. Yet one lo-fi flick has made waves amid the annual slew of superhero epics and unnecessary sequels. With “Upgrade,” actor-turned-filmmaker and frequent James Wan collaborator Leigh Whannell  (“Insidious: Chapter 3”), returns to the director’s chair with a good ol’ fix for adrenaline junkies and film buffs alike.

A cyberpunk thriller brimming with neon-drenched action sequences and gnarly set pieces, “Upgrade” unabashedly blends Cronenberg body horror (“Scanners,” “ Videodrome”) and Paul Verhoeven‘s “Robocop” tech noir essence, with a brooding dystopian pulse. While “Upgrade” swims in the influence of its predecessors, this 2018 SXSW Audience Award Winner prevails as a convenient thriller that tackles revenge and autonomy within a familiar plain.

Propped against a backdrop where society toils in despair as a result of its negligence of technological advancement, “Upgrade” follows Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green) as he embarks on a blood-drenched trail of vengeance after being brutally mugged and left paralyzed; his wife also murdered before his very eyes.

Seeking revenge against those who took away his wife and comfortable way of life, Trace’s billionaire acquaintance Eron (Harrison Gilbertson) – inventor and figurehead of A.I. intelligence – offers the disabled man the means to walk again via an experimental and highly intelligent implant called Stem (the film’s original working title).

Initially repulsed by Eron’s offer, the film’s seemingly-defeated protagonist and technophobe eventually cedes to the only hope for revenge by undergoing a secret surgery to have Stem (Simon Maiden) implanted. After permanently signing away his rights to privacy, Trace soon discovers that aside from aiding his ability to walk again, the A.I. empowers him with strength and agility.

”I cannot allow us to be killed. We are going to finish the job we started,” proclaims Stem to Trace during one of the film’s many fight scenes. With Trace becoming gradually acquainted with his newfound abilities and Stem veering dangerously toward complete manipulation, Trace’s journey toward revenge evolves violently yet murky with each fallen domino. As the perpetrator of Trace’s pain becomes more unclear, each instance of bloodshed is fulfilled with a final act that will leave many speechless.

Matching bold plot trajectory, the rhythmic cinematography and editing techniques of “Upgrade” are equally brazen. Although some shots are more lucid than others, “Upgrade” predominantly features dynamic camera movement comparable to its kindred predecessor “John Wick.” Keeping the comparison in mind, as each fight sequence unravels with sheer brutality the camera dictates the choreography with grace and fluidity, allowing the viewer a visual experience that is both intoxicating and nebulous as much as it is jarring and mechanical.

In the midst of “Upgrade’s” ultraviolent rhyme and reason, Marshall-Green’s role as Trace seeps through bloodshed and creative butchery with a stellar multi-faced performance that will finally make his name and face known—devoid of any superficial “American” Tom Hardy comparisons (sorry, dude).

While Marshall-Green lacks the imposing, brooding depth of Schwarzenegger‘s Terminator or Ryan Gosling’s Officer K, his cyborg possesses a touch of humanity and a side of dark humor on top of an intense desire for vengeance. Nevertheless, it’s quite the spectacle as the story’s hero grapples with the loss of his wife and his sense of autonomy.

Although an excellent and absorbing film for the majority of its 100-minute runtime, Whannell’s project could’ve, believe it or not, used more exposition – including a far more elaborate depiction of Trace’s relationship with Eron. Sidestepping its blemishes, “Upgrade” stands as a remarkable achievement as Whannell manages to assert his voice into a film which upon initial glance, seems conventional in its message.

While this cautionary tale provokes conversation in the fashion of “Black Mirror”—in a ‘watch out for technology’ sort of way — “Upgrade” is fleshed out, featuring developed characters, thus enabling the overwrought message to cut much deeper than anticipated.  As “Upgrade” realizes a hauntingly near future, one where negligent hands abuse complex A.I. technology, the philosophical and moral implications of autonomy and the ‘self’ are easily grasped with coherence and confidence.

It’s no secret that “Upgrade” is a film that lacks complexity, and while at its most predictable, Whannell’s sophomore effort is no less brilliant because it dares to relish in familiarity. “Upgrade” eschews highfalutin scientific theory and instead resorts to sound sci-fi concepts, captivating cinematography, and high octane action in order to deliver one of this year’s best summer surprises. [B+]