"Not Man. Not Machine. More." Prepare for Upgrade. This cyberpunk action body horror film written and directed by Leigh Whannell. A brutal mugging leaves Grey Trace paralyzed in the hospital and his beloved wife dead. A billionaire inventor soon offers Trace a cure - an artificial intelligence implant called STEM that will enhance his body. Now able to walk, Grey finds that he also has superhuman strength and agility - skills he uses to seek revenge against the thugs who destroyed his life.
In March 2017, with a budget of $3 million, principal photography commenced, and took place in Melbourne, Australia for thirty days under the original title STEM. Post production took place in Sydney.
The film stars Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, Melanie Vallejo, Benedict Hardie, Linda Cropper, and Simon Maiden. Prior to this role, we have always known Marshall-Green as a somewhat average Joe guy, but no so much the action hero; he seems to be trying to split the difference at times. But there's an undeniable thrill when Marshall-Green beats the crap out of some bad guys, and ultimately kill them. The film has sealed Marhsall-Green's reputation as a tough guy.
Upgrade is a little, solid, morbid, stylish exploitation, if not morally suspect, vigilante revenge thriller. The violence is excessive and the plot predictable, although there is some style to director Winner's approach. Its poisonous incitement to technologically-enhanced law enforcement is the vulgar exploitation hook on which this film is awkwardly hung. A compulsively watchable bit of 70's sci-fi action thriller nostalgia, a curious counterpart to Charles Bronson and an icon of urban-brand justice. Whannell's recourse to caricature when dealing with the law and crime, and his virtually overt sympathies with the confused, violent Marshall-Green, make for uncritical, simplistic viewing. This somewhat enjoyable techno-porn revenge flick has an eerie kind of fascination, even though its message is cliched. Chilling revenge pic that retains every bit of its power to thrill. Even those who disagree with its knee-jerk vigilante ideology have a hard time denying its impact because the film digs deep and works on an almost subconscious level. Sumptuously photographed and scored, the movie is an excellent capsule of '70s filmmaking - thrilling, thought provoking and sending us off with a wink at the end. The exploration of Trace's emotions is sophisticatedly handled by Whannell, making this a cut above the usual pilot. He is Steve Austin and Paul Kersey combined into one, and a kick-ass artificial intelligence software is an almost incomprehensibly farfetched yet plausible idea: how could anyone not watch this film? The story of mechanic Grey Trace, who survives a mugging thanks to bionic implants that enhance his speed, strength, and vision, this action-packed proto-superhero revenge thriller would make Austin and Kersey proud. So yes, this film is teenage-driven. Still, there were some interesting complexities that continue to give the show some resonance. For sci-fi kitsch, it ranks second to none, and while we can no longer take it as seriously as it clearly takes itself, that doesn't mean it lacks in entertainment value.
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