Brief but excessively graphic scenes of bloodletting mar
this otherwise mildly interesting sci-fi thriller, set in a recognizable
version of the future. Left a widower and a quadriplegic after a seemingly
random attack by a group of thugs (led by Benedict Hardie), an auto mechanic
(Logan Marshall-Green) agrees to let a wealthy inventor (Harrison Gilbertson)
implant an artificial intelligence chip into his body that will cure his
paralysis. But the device, which has a Siri-like voice (Simon Maiden) only he
can hear, not only restores his normal abilities, it endows him with superhuman
fighting prowess, enabling him to embark on a trail of investigation and
revenge along which he must stay one step ahead of the police detective (Betty
Gabriel) assigned to his case. Writer-director Leigh Whannell's cautionary tale
about the dangers of technology run amok eventually sees man and machine
struggling for control, and only the reluctance of the human host to obey the
ever-more savage will of his inhuman opponent will redeem for at least some
grown viewers a film others will justifiably deem offensive.
Watch out for: Much gory,
occasionally gruesome, violence, mature themes, including vengeance and
suicide, a scene of marital sensuality, a handful of profanities, numerous
rough and crude terms.
Rated: L, limited adult
audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling;
MPAA: R
© Arlington Catholic Herald 2018