You know how it is, you've signed your life away to Amazon Prime,Netflix and Disney+ but yet there you are, sitting on your couch scrolling and scrolling and scrolling, "nope, nope, nope, nope, seen it, nope, looks shit, iMDB 4.5.....nope'. Then you remember somebody mentioning a movie to check out, but the screenshot doesn't do it justice, but the trailer actually looks half decent.
This was the scenario when I took a leap of faith on Upgrade, a little know Sci-fi movie written and directed by Leigh Whannell and starring Logan Marshall-Green. The film was produced by Jason Blum, he of Blum House productions (Saw series, Get Out, The Purge).
Whannell spent his incredibly low budget very wisely, choosing to invest in very minimal areas of effects that would deliver bigger impact for its sci-fi tone as well as in practical effects that also helped support the narrative and setting. Above all that, Upgrade is, at its core just a really well told story, and its the narrative that keeps you hooked. When protagonist Grey Trace played by Logan Marshall Green is left paralysed after a brutal car jacking he's given a second chance at life with STEM, a new nanotech chip implant attached to his spine that can take control of his limbs thus helping him walk and function again. This implant comes with some interesting side effects which I won't spoil here, and this is where Upgrade sets itself apart from the myriad of sci-fi junk populating Netflix and other streaming platforms.
The action in the movie is unflinchingly visceral at times, again, it underscores Whannels investment into practical and digital effects where he knows he's going to get bang for his buck and not just for the sake of propping up its sci-fi cyberpunk roots. Fight choreography is also a highlight as shown in an awesome knife fight in a kitchen.
Upgrade is visualized with some great cinematography from Stefan Duscio (The Invisible Man, Audi Q8 advert) and I'm looking forward to seeing more from this guy because there are some, dare I say it Blade Runner 2047 visuals in this film with interiors that really sell the sci-fi vibe.
I'm a sucker for revenge movies, and Upgrade will sit alongside some of the best revenge stories including movies on Netflix like Prisoners, John Wick, Man on Fire, Law Abiding Citizen and Jackie Chans, The Foreigner (another Netflix gem you're missing).
If you're still on the fence just check out some of the reviews, it currently has a respectable Rotten Tomatoes score of 88%.
Leigh Whannell is currently tackling the proposed remake of sci-fi classic Escape from New York and rumour has it Kurt Russell's son Wyatt might be taking on his fathers iconic role.
Anyway, do yourself a favour and check out Upgrade on Netflix.
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