The Machine (2014)
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Critics Consensus: The Machine proves an audacious debut for writer-director Caradog James and a solid entry in modern British sci-fi, with thematic heft to match its genre thrills.
Critics Consensus: The Machine proves an audacious debut for writer-director Caradog James and a solid entry in modern British sci-fi, with thematic heft to match its genre thrills.
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Movie Info
Two computer programmers fall in love as they create the first-ever piece of self-aware artificial intelligence, designed to help humanity. But things go terribly wrong when the British Government steals their breakthrough and teaches it to become a robotic weapon. (c) Xlrator- Rating:
- R (violence and some language)
- Genre:
- Mystery & Suspense , Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Directed By:
- Caradog W. James
- Written By:
- Caradog W. James
- In Theaters:
- Apr 25, 2014 Limited
- On DVD:
- Jun 17, 2014
Cast
-
Toby Stephens
as Vincent McCarthy -
Caity Lotz
as Ava/The Machine -
Denis Lawson
as Thomson -
Sam Hazeldine
as James -
Pooneh Hajimohammadi
as Suri -
John-Paul Macleod
as Paul Dawson
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Critic Reviews for The Machine
All Critics (27) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (21) | Rotten (6) | DVD (3)
"The Machine" percolates with an elegantly palpable sense of wonder and danger.
"The Machine" works modestly well, but still wobbles trying to balance its "thinking man's sci-fi" aspirations against the need to placate less adventurous fans via standard action content.
The Machine brings little new to the subject save for an ominously ambiguous conclusion about the consequences of making computers more advanced than their human masters.
A classy slice of cerebral sci-fi with a literary-cinematic heritage stretching back through Blade Runner and Metropolis to Frankenstein.
Good British sci-fis don't come along very often, so this stylish slice of a dystopian near-future should be welcomed by fans.
The first hour's setup of "The Machine" is better than the threadbare guns-blazing action payoff, but the exceptionally fine work of Caity Lotz commands attention.
Some movies you find yourself liking despite of their mistakes, and this 2013 movie filmed in Wales is one of those movies.
The Machine asks all the right questions yet does so without any heavy-handiness.
The Machine is listening to the language of other science-fiction films-but [...] isn't up on the dialect, and hears only echoes of substance.
Machine retains a dynamic presence, with interesting futureworld ideas sharply realized by writer/director Caradog W. James, who submits quite a cinematic vision for next to no production money.
A low-budget sci-fi thriller with worthwhile questions about the relationship between human beings and super-intelligent robots.
Beware, the Manchurian android!
More of a success than the hapless Transcendence comes close to achieving.
an ambitious project that has a slick production design and solid special effects
It may look rather serious, but underneath The Machine's shiny and po-faced exterior is an enjoyable, silly little B-movie.
Former dancer Caity Lotz is good at lethal kicks and twitchy cyborg movements, but her ingenue manner and baby-doll voice don't make her any more convincing as a cybernetics genius than as a robo-femme super-soldier.
The bleak chic of this SF drama is intriguing, but the script that starts out smart and elegant soon slips into the shoddy and familiar.
James overflogs the what-is-the-nature-of-being-dead horse, but directs with brio. Meanwhile, Lotz, with her child-like fragility and snappy kickboxing moves, is eminently watchable.
There are tritenesses, but particles of promise too, in Caradog James's The Machine, a low-fi sci-fi thriller from Britain.
An impressive calling card for director Caradog James rather than the finished article.
A B-movie of considerable ambition and substance.
Audience Reviews for The Machine
Astounding, captivating and engaging, The Machine manages to be one of the most original Science Fiction in recent memory. What we have here is a standout feature, a film that boasts terrific ideas, with exceptional performances. The story is very good, and is thoroughly engaging from start to finish. What makes this film stand out is the fact that the story is refreshing and it is quite riveting from the first frame onwards. The Machine is terrific Science fiction filmmaking, and aside from Gravity and Moon, is for me anyways, the finest films in the genre that has brought a new dimension to the genre. With great storytelling, director Caradog W. James crafts a stunning film that is destined to be seen as a genre classic. The film boasts some impressive effects as well, and the film looks great, and it has a sort of dystopia quality to the film that really makes the tone of the movie surreal and thought provoking. The Machine is one of those rare movies that is smart, and thrilling with its original take on a classic genre. With the bare minimum, director Caradog W. James was able to get something truly special on-screen. The idea is terrific, and the film itself feels like a real breath of fresh air, and in this genre, especially, it's particularly difficult to craft something that is bold, original and exciting. With The Machine, we get such a film, a movie that ranks among the most memorable Science Fiction thrillers in recent memory, and if you're a fan of the genre, you'll surely enjoy this riveting picture. I for one loved the film and The Machine is terrific picture from start to finish, one that belongs on the shelf of some of the genre's finest works.
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Super Reviewer
Billed as a British Blade Runner, it's not, it's not even close. The first 2/3rds are decent enough build up but the last 3rd is just a load of action rubbish and a rush to explain everything that had been going on.
MoreSuper Reviewer
A little bit different than usual science fiction thrillers, this British film directed and written by Caradog W. James was very entertaining. It stars Caity Lotz and Toby Stephens as computer scientists who create an artificial intelligence for the military.
Story is happening in the future, amid a cold war with China. Above mentioned scientists employed by Britain's Ministry of Defence produce an artificially intelligent, self-aware and conscious android. The lead scientist sees his work as a stepping stone to help his diseased daughter - of course the military is not sympathetic about his cause and sees the technology's potential for war. Unfortunately, one of the scientists is killed, and the two sides clash over their plans for the new intelligence.
It was very smart and thought-provoking thriller with style! The dark atmosphere and future-noir style work to its advantage. There was nothing new in it but the funny part is that felt different than anything else I saw before - it seems that the right combination of different elements contributed to this feel of outstanding quality. I had the problem with the uneven rhythm of the movie - it felt like recently had a by-pass... Still, worth watching.
Super Reviewer
Caradog James (what a name) gives us a debut worthy of one of the best CGI science fiction flicks since anything involving Tom Cruise. The Machine might not be as in depth or as long as something you'd be accustomed to with a Cruise film, but there is plenty on the surface with just enough digging up the top soil to find a good product.
Former James Bond villain Toby Stephens is the genius engineer who along with an American scientist of the same intellect, breed the first conscious AI program. It's actually a pretty violent beginning for the machine, who is played expertly by Caity Lotz. She needs the CGI and audio dub to really make her robot self come to life, but it's seamless.
As for the rest of the cast, many of the no-names act their part with a bit of a Total Recall, Blade Runner bad guy in Denis Lawson, who was in Star Wars as one of the pilots in the X-Wings I found out!
It gets a tad heavy on the emotional stuff, but that's mainly because this film is trying to find an even balance between a new world order, action, and emotion production all in one with robots.
If the movie could have expanded into more of the real world, you're probably looking at a fully fleshed out mega movie. Instead, we're left with a pretty satisfying independent feel that plays it somewhat safe with a harrowing ending.
Super Reviewer
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