The Gist:
In a dystopian future, insurance agent at a robotics corporation is sent to investigate a broken protocol, the outcome of which could have serious repercussions for the last remnants of human society.
The Review:
Director Gabe Ibanez brings this tried and tested genre to the big screen again in Automata. Robots, AI, killer machines are ever present in film culture and play on our fear of the unknown and the moral quandary of creating machines so intelligent they could pose a threat to the human race.
With a commendable cast including Dylan McDermott, Melanie Griffith and Javier Bardem – Ibanez has delivered a solid thriller. The bleak, desolate future he creates is matches the internal landscape of Banderas’ burned out investigator. It’s nice to see Banderas is a serious role for a change.
There’s also a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ cameo from a woefully miscast Melanie Griffith as a robotics engineer. Her time is better spent voicing Cleo, one of the automata.
The Verdict:
Though not ground-breaking in its exploration of the sci-fi genre, it’s a solid enough effort from all concerned. Ibanez has created a rich, futuristic landscape and although some of the acting from the supporting cast is inconsistent, Banderas gives a better performance than he has in some time.
Lionsgate UK Release Automata On Demand 27th April & Blu-ray and DVD 4th May, 2015
No Comments