Being added onto Netflix years after its initial release can see a film climb the ranks of the charts, re-introducing or offering first-time viewing of cinematic gems to the world’s largest streaming platform. These are always a joy to see pop onto the platform alongside original and the newest movies fresh out of the theaters, especially when they are as great as the 2018 sci-fi thriller Upgrade.
Starring Logan Marshall-Green and directed by Leigh Whannell, Upgrade has climbed Netflix’s charts thanks to a strong audience and critical response. Should you check out the movie for yourself?
Plot and Cast of Upgrade (2018)
A technophobe, Grey Trace, paralyzed in an assault that also killed his wife, decides to push aside his fear of technology for a second chance at life/revenge when he is offered an experimental cure. Billionaire Eron Keen approaches Grey to try his prototype implanted computer chip, STEM, which will allow him to regain control over his body. However, once implanted, Grey soon learns he has little control over his body, and the advanced AI technology begins showing sinister intentions. Upgrade and blends elements of sci-fi, action, and horror with a cyberpunk aesthetic and surreal elements.
Logan Marshall-Green plays the lead role of Grey Trace, a technophobe turned human killing weapon at the will of AI. Marshall-Green had just come off the well-received Western Damnation and had previously starred in films like The Invitation and Prometheus. Melanie Vallejo played Asha Trace, the murdered wife of Trace. Vallejo is primarily known for her work in television, having appeared in over 100 episodes of Winners and Losers as Sophie Wong and the Blue Mystic Ranger in Power Rangers Mystic Force. The young Harrison Gilbertson played the role of tech billionaire Eron (an obvious play on Elon Musk), had a supporting role in Oppenheimer, and appeared in four episodes of the sci-fi thriller The Peripheral.
The movie was directed by Leigh Whannell, better known as an actor who appeared in popular horror movies like the original Saw (where he played the lead role) and the Insidious franchise, where he played Specs. Still, Whannell has been increasing his profile as a director, having impressed with his take on The Invisible Man in the 2020 remake starring Elisabeth Moss. Several of his movies are also in production, including an upcoming television series based on Upgrade. The legendary Blumhouse Productions produced the movie, a name that has become synonymous with modern horror.
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What Critics and Fans Have Said About Upgrade
Upgrade was exceptionally well received by critics and audiences alike despite its modest box office performance, earning $16.7 million worldwide on a budget of $3.7 million. On Rotten Tomatoes, Upgrade currently sits at 88% for both audience and critic scores, with 192 critical reviews. On IMDb, the movie sits at a comfortable 7.5, which is impressive for the sci-fi horror genre, which somewhat struggles to reach a high score on the rating site.
Matt Brunson of Film Fury summed up the sentiment of many positive reviews, stating, “With its emphasis on technology, slightly futuristic setting, and fondness for disturbing developments, Upgrade feels like an episode of Black Mirror that somehow managed to break free from its Netflix surroundings and emerge unscathed on the big screen.” Meanwhile, Forbes captured much of the movie influences with the review from Luke Y. Thompson, mentioning, “Upgrade pays homage to cyberpunk and sci-fi B-movies from the 90s like Johnny Mnemonic, Hardware, and Freejack, but with a fresh, high-tech twist.”
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However, the critical score is slightly deceptive, with Rotten Tomatoes’ ‘thumbs up or thumbs down’ approach meaning that many positive reviews are not overly glowing. More vocal detractors, both fandom and critics, felt that the movie did not quite meet the same quality level as the films Upgradehad hoped to pay homage to. Of course, Blumhouse’s approach of a modest budget to minimize risk in the theatrical run is also a formula that fans of bigger-budget sci-fi spectacles will find slightly underwhelming, even with the film seeing almost universal praise for its effective use of special effects. Essentially, Upgrade is perfect at what it does, but its appeal won’t be universal.
“It was tough, but I actually liked the process and would do it again. Even though it’s dicey to negotiate all these different things and fight against the clock, what I love about the process is that you don’t have ten people standing behind you telling you how to change things.”
Leigh Whannell on the special effects of Upgrade
Is Upgrade Worth Watching?
Upgrade
- Release Date
- June 1, 2018
- Cast
- Logan Marshall-Green , Rosco Campbell , Richard Cawthorne , Michael M. Foster , Betty Gabriel , Harrison Gilbertson
- Runtime
- 96
Upgrade‘s recent climb up the Netflix charts shows that the movie has continued to impress audiences, enough for those who checked it out for the first time to revisit it. For horror and sci-fi fans, the movie is expertly executed under budgetary restraints, and the script is smart and engaging. Add in the upcoming TV series; now is the ideal time to check out the sci-fi/action/horror thriller. The only reason not to check out this gem is if you need the $100 million budget sci-fi effects to enjoy the genre.
The Upgrade television series is set to premiere on June 1st, 2024; you can watch the 2018 movie on Netflix, or if you don’t have the streaming service, you can rent it on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, or YouTube.
