Summary
In efforts to construct perfect android killing machines in a war against China, UK scientists exceed their goal and create a sentient robot.
In efforts to construct perfect android killing machines in a war against China, UK scientists exceed their goal and create a sentient robot.
This sleek and stylish thriller deals with artificial intelligence, but unlike its contemporary Her, which looked at AI from a social and romantic point-of-view, this puts it in a military context. Toby Stephens and Caity Lotz play computer boffins working for the Ministry of Defence, the former wanting to aid the disabled via cranial implants linked to hi-tech prosthetics, while the latter trying to create a machine that can make decisions for itself. Predictably, their ideals are in conflict with their shady MoD bosses, who simply want to create a robotic super-soldier. Writer/director Caradog James touches on some intriguing questions, such as what being alive actually means, and whether AI is the next step in human evolution - or its last. However, the film's content never quite matches its tremendous style (with visuals that belie a modest budget), and from an A-movie start it descends into a B-movie finish. Still, James does succeed in breathing new life into the old Frankenstein story.
role | name |
---|---|
Vincent McCarthy | Toby Stephens |
Ava / The Machine | Caity Lotz |
Thomson | Denis Lawson |
James | Sam Hazeldine |
Suri | Pooneh Hajimohammadi |
Paul Dawson | John Paul Macleod |
Paul Dawson's mother | Helen Griffin |
Lucy | Siwan Morris |
Mary | Jade Croot |
Tim | Jonathan Christian Byrne |
Dr Giwa-Amu | Sule Rimi |
role | name |
---|---|
Director | Caradog James |