Film Review: Upgrade (2018)

SYNOPSIS:

Set in the near-future, technology controls nearly all aspects of life. But when Grey, a self-identified technophobe, has his world turned upside down, his only hope for revenge is an experimental computer chip implant called Stem.

REVIEW:

I don’t believe I’ve ever given a 5 star rating on a film… until now. Blumhouse does it again! This movie was amazing! I cannot say a bad thing about it.

So let’s go in to why I enjoyed it so much…

The story is pretty simple. In the not so distant future Gray Trace (Logan Marshall-Green) is not a fan of how we live our lives letting Machines run it. In this future cars drive themselves (which isn’t too far off from soon to be reality) and your house talks to you. Technology is taking over the world! In the synopsis he’s referred to as a technophobe. I’d disagree. He still loves his car which is technological he just wants to be the one in control of it. So when his car malfunctions and his wife and him crash, a gang of thugs kill her and paralyze him.

All seems to be lost. He’s depressed about missing his wife and wants revenge. Along comes, Eron (Harrison Gilbertson), the inventor of STEM… STEM is a microchip that can be implanted in your body and control the parts that are not working. Gray agrees to let the chip take him over but with the plan to get revenge on the people who killed his wife.

However… STEM starts to have a mind of its own. That’s all I will go in to that. I don’t want to spoil anything because it is one of the most fun you’ll have in a theater.

With the action of films like John Wick, and the heart of Frankenstein, mixed a bit with the original Terminator… Upgrade will have you on the edge of your seat with it’s badass action scenes! Also this movie has a lot of heart! You care for Gray. You understand his pain. And all the characters that get in the way.

Even though Upgrade is written and directed by Leigh Whannell (The creator of both SAW and Insidious) Upgrade is not a horror film. If I had to classify it as anything it would be Action/Sci Fi/ Thriller with the gore FX of a horror film. The FX and Music both stand out.

If you’re looking for a film to watch in the theaters I’d suggest go check out Upgrade right now. Also make sure you watch it with someone else because it will leave you wanting to talk about it.  You won’t be disappointed.