There’s a clear element of body horror here subsumed in the science fiction framework, and the notion of wetware hosting reminded me of David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ (1999). A few scenes, particularly as Grey cedes increasing amounts of power to STEM, the chip installed in his brain capable of regulating his nervous system and movements, are as flinch-worthy for us as they are for him. Things get nasty soon thereafter, as we tumble into a somber, post- John Wick world of roving killers and machine-regulated existence. The film’s setup, involving Grey’s banter with his wife Asha and their encounter with tech genius Eron Keen, is perhaps surprisingly soft-toned and gently-paced. There are no wasted moments in Upgrade’s one-hour-and-forty-minutes running time, and in today’s bloated blockbuster ecosystem that’s praise indeed. Whannel’s dual role as writer likely helped in lending an air of confidence to the materialization of his vision, which feels both refreshingly unassuming and thoroughly assured.
For another, his skills as a craftsman are beyond dispute from the sense of setting and psyche to the timing of the story’s revelations, all is handled just as needed. For one, Whannel, whose writing and producing credits include multiple series entries-and whose directorial debut was the prequel Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)-here tells a neatly self-contained story set in a plausibly conceived, compellingly depicted near future.
Upgrade is Leigh Whannel’s second feature film as a director and clearly represents a step up from his previous work. what Rian Johnson’s Looper (2012) did for time travel it wraps up a donut of a premise in the bacon of a tough character journey, convinces us to take a bite, and then throws a kick to the gut.
But in Upgrade’s case, the carefully grafted world-building tissue and sinewy narrative musculature clinging to the classic thriller endoskeleton prove to be the differentiating elements that set this film apart from other tunnel-vision offerings, such as the recent Death Wish (2018) remake, as well as many a disposable science fiction action flick. Such simplicity can be an appealing proposition. Upgrade’s bare bones: Guy loses everything except his life guy seeks revenge.
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