Upgrade
A grieving quadriplegic turns to an experimental neural implant for revenge, only to find his restored body may belong to a far more powerful intelligence.
Overview
A man's quest for vengeance takes a high-tech twist in a future where technology blurs the line between man and machine.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- propulsive
- sardonic
- paranoid
- late night genre marathon
- action movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Upgrade as a sharply made, entertaining science fiction thriller that gives old-fashioned cyberpunk action a clever technological upgrade.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Grey's implanted STEM system restores his movement while increasingly shaping his actions and perception.
Self-driving cars, drones, hackers, implants, and industrial spaces create a rough-edged technological dystopia rather than a polished future.
Grey's pursuit of the people responsible for Asha's death is enabled and redirected by artificial intelligence.
The implant's apparent function as a mobility aid becomes entangled with concealed motives and escalating manipulation.
Films like Upgrade, and why
The Terminator
Shared cyberpunk dystopia, human enhancement, artificial intelligence, and kinetic action-thriller energy.
RoboCop
Shared body augmentation, technological paranoia, revenge-driven momentum, and grimy science fiction atmosphere.
The Matrix
Shared cyberpunk setting, machine intelligence, bodily autonomy concerns, and a protagonist confronting hidden technological control.
Ex Machina
Shared low-budget science fiction, inventive technological premise, dark humor, and escalating paranoia.
Movie Details
- Director
- Leigh Whannell
- Release Date
- 2018-05-31
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (5276)
Cast
- Logan Marshall-Green
- Betty Gabriel
- Harrison Gilbertson
- Melanie Vallejo
- Benedict Hardie
- Linda Cropper
- Simon Maiden
- Steve Danielsen
- Richard Cawthorne
- Christopher Kirby
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Upgrade about?
- A grieving quadriplegic turns to an experimental neural implant for revenge, only to find his restored body may belong to a far more powerful intelligence.
- What is Upgrade like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Upgrade as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Upgrade violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Upgrade as graphic.
- What did critics think of Upgrade?
- Critics broadly praised Upgrade as a sharply made, entertaining science fiction thriller that gives old-fashioned cyberpunk action a clever technological upgrade.
- Which films are like Upgrade?
- Films with a similar feel include The Terminator, RoboCop, The Matrix, and Ex Machina.
- How long is Upgrade?
- Upgrade runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Upgrade?
- In United States, Upgrade streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
