Review #157: Upgrade (2018)


This review was originally written in 2022.

Gabe's 100 Bucket List Horror Films Review #12 - Upgrade (2018)

Hot dang! I knew basically nothing going into this movie, and now I'm SHOCKED that I haven't heard anyone raving about it for the past four years. Opinion spoilers: This is the best movie I've seen all year, and definitely the best one I've watched for this bucket list, hands-down. The only problem- I really don't feel right calling it a horror film. Yes, parts of it are horrific, but it's more of an action/revenge movie than a horror film, something akin to a sci-fi-focused John Wick rather than, say, Carrie. But that's not a bad thing! I encourage everyone to go watch this film if you haven't already, just don't go in expecting straight-up horror.

The plot is fairly simple: Logan Marshall-Green plays Grey, a near-futuristic everyman whose wife is murdered and he is left quadriplegic. He's given a cybernetic implant that lets him regain use of his body, but it has a mind of its own- and it wants to help him get revenge on the men that murdered his wife.

One thing that struck me as noteworthy in this film is how ACCURATE it is. The medical stuff is fairly accurate (and trust me, movies rarely are), the technology is believable (the implant is hacked using Linux code, not just random jargon), and Logan Marshall-Green clearly did a TON of work to bring his physicality to a believable point (for example, having nearly all of his movements be very deliberate, moving his torso separate from his head, etc.). For that matter, the cinematography is FANTASTIC, with tons of sequences where the camera keeps Grey stationary in the center of the frame despite flips, punches, all sorts of movements on his part. He stays where he is, and the world goes topsy-turvy around him. Numerous times I broke out laughing because a shot took me by complete surprise with some clever movement of the camera and/or some unexpected but completely inevitable action from the protagonist.

This movie was a non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end, and never got stale or ceased to amaze me. It was so much fun, it was a breath of fresh air after a couple other lackluster movies I've watched recently, and I just enjoyed it more than I can express in words.

If you haven't seen it, go watch it right now! And if you have, what are you waiting for? Go watch it again!

Overall Rating: 10/10 Implanted Guns

Fun Twist: I totally called the ending of the movie, about five minutes in. I had no way of knowing I was right (and dismissed it immediately after), but I said a thing and then was taken by complete surprise (yet again!) when it turned out I was right. This movie didn't even need any twists and turns but it gave them anyway!

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