Upgrade - Review

Release Date: June 1, 2018

Do You Need One?

A low budget action movie, like really low budget. Every penny spent is to make the movie as good as possible. I don't think you can find a better-looking movie in the same budget range. There was attention put into the lighting and set design to make it feel like a higher production movie. That isn't to say there weren't some tells that it was low budget, but the movie really makes those dollars stretch.

So the look of the movie is impressive for its five million dollar budget, but what about everything else? The acting in this movie was subpar. Other than the main actor, everyone else didn't seem real enough. It almost came off as they were trying too hard. The main actor is definitely a discount Tom Hardy, the look and style of acting were on the nose. Another thing on the nose was part of the plot.

A movie where a guy's wife is killed so he gets revenge, kind of. The story detail of a company that makes superior products but has a rival that has government contracts. The movie uses these building blocks to reach higher conceptually. It really does try its hardest but, the foundation is too unstable. The movie falls apart when you ask questions about the things happening on screen. It has more in common with a horror movie based on plot holes than a sci-fi action movie.

The gimmick the movie used to get people in the theater was a stabilized camera trick. I have no problem with the direction in that aspect, but whoever edited the car chase needs to be fired. I didn't think a car chase could be that bad. I actually forgot about the movie at one point. The chase wasn't shot that well either but it was the editing that really made it unwatchable.

As a final thought about this movie before I forget about it, I wanted to praise its ending. I'm glad the movie decided to end how it did. It is morbid and makes some sense. It was nicely telegraphed but still had you second guessing. This praise comes from the fact that the movie didn't end on a happy note. So even though the plot holes make the ending less believable, I liked it for its roughness. Its a totally watchable movie but it's not very good.

                                             5/10
       This movie needed an upgrade in its story telling