Leigh Whannell wrote Saw and made his writer-director debut with Insidious: Chapter 3 (from characters he created). His latest, Upgrade, is a stunning and searing sci-fi thriller that still has touches of the horror genre that enriched Whannell’s past.
Logan Marshall-Green gives a sensational performance as Grey Trace. He’s old school in this future-set cinematic shocker. Grey likes to work on classic cars while the rest of the world seems to be getting into auto-driving, computer-run vehicles. One night, on the way home from taking a classic car to a client, his wife his murdered and he is left a quadriplegic by a group of assailants.
With little hope, he considers ways to end his time on this planet. Instead, he is given a second chance through a billionaire’s technological advance which allows him to install a chip, called STEM, into his neck that not only makes him walk again, but much more. What’s a guy to do? You guessed it—revenge of the highest order. Thing is… the fact that he has this ability must be kept a secret. Its creator certainly does not want it used for any nefarious means. Being a vigilante would certainly draw attention to this creation.
Marshall-Green is a revelation. What he is called to do with this script is otherworldly on so many levels. He is literally playing two characters, the one part of him that is still human and the other that is A.I. There are numerous scenes where the action is simultaneously sublime and surreal, yet if you watch the actor’s face playing Grey, he is not comfortable with the raging violence he’s extoling on those who get in his way of justice and more importantly, those who are a target of his vigilante-driven rebirth.
His Grey is mourning, crippled in every sense of the word, and makes a decision out of desperation. Like so many movie characters that have gone down that path, it is far from a clean outcome when all is said and done. Making deals to brush aside nature could be seen as making agreements with the devil, despite having the truest of intents. It is a fascinating study in the human mind. Even with the technological advances illustrated across the film, a lesson arrives that should be heartwarming to those who fear what advances in A.I. and technology might do to our humanity. In Upgrade, what makes us uniquely human still drives the results of our actions and that is a powerful takeaway from a story that should never be dismissed as a simple revenge trope.
Australian actor Simon Maiden delivers a pitch perfect take as the voice of STEM. From the moment he first appears in Grey’s head to the close of the film, Whannell has given the thespian a true arc to work with—even though his character is only heard from and not “seen.” It’s a tricky part to play and an even trickier one to achieve putting pen to paper. Both writer-director and actor deserve a bevy of kudos for what they’ve achieved in what could have been a thankless role, a two-dimensional part or heaven forbid, a flat, droid-like vocal performance like we have seen so many times before.
Every so often a film comes along and pushes the fight sequence envelope. John Wick comes to mind, so too does The Matrix (of course) and last year’s Atomic Blonde. There are several action scenes that are so to be marveled that the film needs repeated viewings (mirroring the legacy those other films mentioned earlier possess) to fully appreciate the mesmerizing mastery that is this elevation of the action genre. Upgrade will be joining those other thrill-ride classics in that esteemed category for what Whannell and his stunt and fight coordinating team have accomplished. Have no desire to explain what exactly they do in those movie moments, it simply must be seen.
Originality is a rarity in Hollywood. For that reason alone, Upgrade should be celebrated. The thing is, it is also so wickedly smart, insanely thrilling and it stands out beyond simple filmmaking innovation. Its appreciation by film fans will grow exponentially as the present morphs into the future.
Grade: A