In the near future, Upgrade zeroes in on Grey Trace, a mechanic who restores vehicles for wealthy entrepreneurs and is adverse to technology. When a brutal mugging turns his life upside down and leaves Trace paralyzed, a billionaire offers a cure in the form of an experimental computer chip. Thanks to an Artificial Intelligence implant called Stem, the chip grants Grey unexpected enhanced abilities and an opportunity to embark on a path of ruthless vengeance.
Upgrade is the second film to be both written and directed by Leigh Whannell (he has eighteen writing credits total and this is his second directorial effort). Since I was unfamiliar with most of Whannell's work, I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into
Upgrade. Prior to watching the film, I'd only seen one trailer for the film which didn't quite sell me. On the flip-side, I'd heard plenty of positive buzz surrounding this futuristic revenge thriller and thought the premise seemed intriguing, if not a bit derivative. Regardless, I went in with an open mind only to be discover that
Upgrade is one of the biggest surprises of the year thus far alongside the likes of
A Quiet Place and
Game Night.
While I was fully prepared for the possibility I might enjoy
Upgrade, I wasn't ready for everything Whannell had in store. Even though the plot is pretty paint-by-numbers for a revenge tale, the film quickly finds its groove and diverges from that beaten path once Stem enters the picture. At that point, just think
John Wick meets
RoboCop with a dash of dark humor. The action sequences are strangely simultaneously awesome, gruesome, and hilarious because of the fast-paced gritty fight choreography and Logan Marshall-Green's contrary facial reactions to the bloodbath. This film is also a hard-R so expect gore galore, and I'd recommend you stay home or see something else if you find blood unsettling.
I've also got to give the film credit for portraying a futuristic society that was refreshingly not dystopian. Considering the film's sparse $5 M budget, I'd be mistaken not to applaud the work from the director of photography (Stefan Duscio), visual effects artists, set designers, and remaining crew members because this film does NOT look like it cost $5 M to make. In fact, I was shocked to learn that the budget was that low because Whannell managed to make that money go a long way. towards executing his vision. That alone suggests Whannell is a talent to watch in years to come.
Logan Marshall-Green stars as Grey Trace and makes for a convincing quadriplegic when physically restrained to the confines of a wheel-chair or stuck crawling around. Marshall-Green nails the physicality of the role and does an exceptional job emoting with reactionary faces as Stem "controlled" the rest of his body. That touch in particular lead to many of the film's funniest moments. However, the true scene stealing character was undoubtedly the Stem AI voiced by Simon Maiden. Maiden effectively imbued a disembodied voice with a semblance of a personality while restraining Stem just enough to never lose the AI credibility. Elsewhere, the ensemble is littered with two-dimensional characters who are unable to leave an impression. Melanie Vallejo, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, and Benedict Hardie each play a part in progressing the plot along, but theie characters ultimately amount to little more than plot devices.
While Upgrade may not adhere to its title and level up the genre tropes employed, it's well-worth the time and money you'll put into it courtesy of Marshall-Green's potent performance, an inventive premise spotlighting a unique AI, a surprisingly bold conclusion, a synth-techno soundtrack, and the film's unabashed commitment to its hard-R rating.
Film Assessment: B
