It’s not often that sci-fi films combine strong drama, a compelling plot, and an unusual interpretation of familiar things. The film “Upgrade” is a godsend for lovers of quality cinema. It is quite expected, because its director is the world-famous Leigh Whannell, who wrote the script for the legendary film “Saw. Survival game”.
About what
The distant future, it’s a common thing here – to build special implants and chips into your bodies. They help people cope with disability, compensating for those defects that medicine cannot cope with. Everything is controlled by artificial intelligence, but the main character – Gray – loves the old days and eschews high technology, collects rare cars for private collector clients.
He is happily married to a girl named Asha and is happy with his life – a luxurious house, a favorite job and mutual understanding in the family. Everything changes in one second. Gray invites his wife to go with him to a rich man’s house to hand over the repaired car, and this is a kind of surprise, because the rich client turns out to be the famous inventor and owner of a large technology company, Eron Keane, Asha’s idol.
But on the way back, a pleasant evening turns into a nightmare – unknown criminals took control of the car in which the main characters were driving and provoked an accident. They mercilessly kill Asha and injure Gray – at the hospital, doctors say that the bullet damaged his spine and Gray will never be able to walk again. Paralyzed and with no will to live, he sinks deeper into apathy when Eron visits him and offers to implant an experimental chip called “Stem” into his body. Gray agrees.
The operation is successful, the main character regains the ability to control his own body, wide horizons open up ahead – a chance to enter a new life, cope with grief and start from scratch. But the desire for revenge does not allow Gray to wait quietly until the police find the bandits who killed Asha, and he goes on the warpath.
Explanation of meaning
Upgrade is a multi-faceted story, don’t let the fast-paced linear narrative fool you into thinking you’ve stumbled upon a generic action movie. Man versus machine – what is the meaning of the movie “Upgrade”?
Rise of the Machines
The first rule of robotics is not to harm a person and not to allow harm to a person through inaction, but what consequences will people face if artificial intelligence finds a loophole in this condition? A powerful being, not in the least limited by vulnerable flesh or speed of thought, will he resign himself to a subordinate position? Or will he wish to climb a step higher and push humanity off the pedestal?
The actions of “Stam” in the film are an example of how the uprising of the machines is likely to happen, if it is meant to be. Cunningly, cruelly, effectively. Not a direct attack in the forehead and not a merciless destruction, but a cleverly planned operation, imperceptible displacement and displacement, when at one moment a person enjoys life, and at the next he suddenly realizes that he is on the sidelines, helpless and unhappy.
Genius or madness?
Very often, outstanding people are separated from the crowd and forgive them for what would be imputed to an ordinary person, and this inspires confidence in such favorites of fate and the public – everything will get away with it. But the truth is that everyone should be held accountable for their actions. For some reason, actions that are characterized positively automatically disappear from the zone of obligations. A scientist has made a discovery and is thanked even if the invention destroys half the planet.
Eron is literally called to account by his own electronic child – “Stam”. Genius melts into madness when the inventor loses control and spits on the outcome of the experiment. Eron makes a mistake, loses his attention and relaxes too much, rejoicing at the victory, and at this moment the control is intercepted by “Stem” – he comes up with an insidious plan and consistently executes it.
Revenge is self-destruction
If Gray had subdued his rage, slowed down for a couple of minutes and considered whether it was really worth lynching, then the film would have ended at the thirtieth minute. Throughout the screen time, the protagonist was pulled forward by anger, he indulged it and easily succumbed to the manipulations of “Steam”. A vivid clear example of the fact that revenge is not a dish that is generally worth serving on the table. The desire to cause another person pain, even well-deserved, destroys from the inside.
How did it end
In the course of his own investigation, Gray finds out that Eron organized the attack on him and the murder of Asha, and comes to his house to demand an explanation, and after a frank conversation, hand him over to the police. But almost immediately it turns out that the villain who played a magnificent chess game is “Stem”, who subjugated his own creator and, like a puppeteer, directed Gray’s every action. The main character, having found out the truth, breaks down and gives up – “Stam” locks him in the far corner of his consciousness, and he completely takes possession of the body.
The artificial intelligence in the movie “Upgrade” is not an ordinary villain, but more of a metaphor for demons tearing apart a person from the inside. And in the end, nothing remains of Gray – the robot takes the place of a person.
