# Upgrade (open spoilers after 1 June 2018) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160 "2018-05-14T20:20:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/1 "2018-05-14T20:20:53Z")
No, not the fictional pimp; he spelled his name with two "d"s, for a double dose of that pimpin’. I’m talking about [the movie](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6499752/). [Redband trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T_GmJKEke0). I’ve been looking forward to this movie since last year; anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/2 "2018-05-14T20:55:28Z")
Had not been aware; seems to have strong ties to the Gore movie scene, though, and I don’t follow that. Looks like an interesting mash up of a Saw movie (in terms of gore levels) and a Jason Bourne close-up action movie. Will the chip symbiote likely be only used to explain the powers, or will these filmmakers attempt to explore questions of identity, etc? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/3 "2018-05-14T21:46:07Z")
Initial reviews indicate the film is more SF than body horror but clearly the film is ultra-violent. No idea how _much_ they’ll explore the more existential questions of identity amidst all the fighting and stuff, but the trailer seems to show that there are boundaries and that those boundaries will be stretched if not outright broken. There’s a touch of AI menace too in the line about not dying until “their” goal was achieved. But mostly I’m hoping it’s a not-dumb science fiction action flick with decent fight scenes. If it crosses that bar and has enough goodness to reach a 7/10 rating from me, I’ll be happy with it. I mean, I’d love it if I walked out thinking “holy fuck; that’ll tide me over until Dr. Miller can get things sorted” but I don’t expect that to happen. Hope, maybe, but not expect. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/4 "2018-05-15T04:02:57Z")
It’s like _The Tuxedo_… _except you wear it on the inside!_ ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/5 "2018-06-02T15:02:07Z")
It seems like Upgrade is flying under the radar a bit, but the reviews have been really great so I went to see it last night and I’m so glad I did. It’s another action movie where a man is out to get justice for his wife’s murder, but with the twist of he is quadriplegic and has an AI implant so he can actually walk. The action scenes are pretty great, and with the added bit of physical humor with the actor Logan Marshall Green portraying someone not in control of his body doing the brutal action. It also sets up the world really well, with it being set slightly in the future with AI, autonomous cars, various other bio upgrades and future tech. While watching it I was thinking it felt so much like a midnight movie I would have seen at a film fest, then looked up later and it did when the Audience Award for best Midnight movie at SXSW, which seems very appropriate. I wouldn’t be surprised if it fades fairly quickly from theaters considering the little promotion it’s gotten and all the other movies out, but I wouldn’t be surprised if in a year it’s the big thing that people are recommending to see on Netflix or whatever. But if a sci-fi/body horror revenge action movie appeals to you, I’d recommend you see it. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/6 "2018-06-02T20:27:40Z")
I couldn’t see this yesterday so I went to the morning show today. I liked it a lot, but didn’t love it. The fight scenes were great, fantastic even. The gallows humor was well done throughout the film, as was the gore (yes there is gore but there is also a lot of restraint; it’s not as gratuitous nor as omnipresent as it could have been). There are some plot points that don’t quite work, or didn’t seem to, but in general the pace of the film didn’t allow me too much time to dwell on what just happened so these raced into my mental rearview mirror pretty quickly. The ending was good but lacked the impact it clearly wanted to have; it’s just too similar to _Ex Machina_ in too many ways. I’d give it a 7/10 with a definite intent to watch again. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/7 "2018-06-02T20:30:16Z")
I found the trailer to be interesting. I am glad to hear that it is a decent movie. And while the trailer wasn’t played for laughs, I did get the sense that there is some humor in the movie, is that right? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/8 "2018-06-02T20:55:36Z")
The comparison I was thinking when I saw the trailer was _[Hardcore Henry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardcore_Henry)_. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/9 "2018-06-02T21:58:15Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > I found the trailer to be interesting. I am glad to hear that it is a decent movie. And while the trailer wasn’t played for laughs, I did get the sense that there is some humor in the movie, is that right? There’s definite humor, some really funny moments, but very darkly funny often. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The comparison I was thinking when I saw the trailer was _[Hardcore Henry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardcore_Henry)_. I never got around to seeing Hardcore Henry, so I can’t compare it exactly. Upgrade isn’t first person point of view, but there are some cool stylistic things that make it stand out from other action movies, some different camerawork. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/10 "2018-06-03T01:20:47Z")
This is my favorite movie of 2018 so far, and I’ve seen a lot of 2018 movies because I got MoviePass in January. In fact, without that membership I don’t know if I ever would have caught this. Definitely not in the theater, and DVD Netflix wrongly predicted only 3/5 stars for me (usually it knows me so well, too!). This is the hidden gem of hidden gems for fans of sci-fi actioners (I wouldn’t consider it horror, really, and I say that as someone who generally dislikes horror although I did enjoy the recent one where everyone has to be quiet). It’s not based on “established IP”, it doesn’t seem to be trying to set up a sequel or a “franchise”, it’s sharply written, tightly plotted, and well acted by some B-listers. Even the FX looks great for the limited budget: that shot of the city skyline with the greenhouse skyscrapers, a decade ago would only be achievable in a James Cameron tentpole release. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/11 "2018-06-03T02:43:06Z")
I walked into the theater expecting to like the movie, and walked out having \*loved \*the movie. I’d rank it easily as one of my top ten favorite movies. I’m waiting for a spoiler thread, because I seriously want to talk about it. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/12 "2018-06-03T03:40:11Z")
I saw some synopses of this thing and it sounded stoopid; I’m glad to find out people actually like it! I will probably see it tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/13 "2018-06-03T03:55:29Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > I walked into the theater expecting to like the movie, and walked out having \*loved \*the movie. I’d rank it easily as one of my top ten favorite movies. I’m waiting for a spoiler thread, because I seriously want to talk about it. [Do none of y’all search or even scroll down?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=854803) ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/14 "2018-06-03T05:55:20Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > I walked into the theater expecting to like the movie, and walked out having \*loved \*the movie. Right? It’s so much better than it has any business being. Afterward, I found myself wondering what “Blade Runner 2149” might have been with this screenwriter. Even as it stands, I found BR2149 an amazing cinematic experience, but it had so much more money behind it. I honestly don’t think that movie is written as well as this one (and they obviously have some similarities). ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/15 "2018-06-03T07:12:08Z")
For me, it is the best movie of 2018 so far, and I’ve seen a lot of movies this year thanks to MoviePass. It even beat out “Infinity War” and “Deadpool 2”, both of which I loved. It is a small budget sci-fi action flick with no “established IP” or recognizable names, but it is AWESOME. It is a hundred times better than it has any business being. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/16 "2018-06-03T13:45:16Z")
My wife and I completely loved the movie- we couldn’t stop talking about it. One thing I particularly liked: Grey Trace (the protagonist) wasn’t actually the one who got the eponymous _Upgrade_- the entire movie was about STEM getting upgraded. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/17 "2018-06-03T14:31:19Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I saw some synopses of this thing and it sounded stoopid; I’m glad to find out people actually like it! I will probably see it tomorrow. It’s a movie for a certain type of movie fan, it’s not something I’m telling all my friends to go see, but I texted a few friends who I know love these types of movies and told them they have to see it. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Do none of y’all search or even scroll down?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=854803) I searched for anything on the front page before I made my thread, I didn’t think I’d need to search for a thread made two weeks before. But I’m glad there’s other people interested in the movie. > [@SlackerInc](#): > > Right? It’s so much better than it has any business being. Afterward, I found myself wondering what “Blade Runner 2149” might have been with this screenwriter. Even as it stands, I found BR2149 an amazing cinematic experience, but it had so much more money behind it. I honestly don’t think that movie is written as well as this one (and they obviously have some similarities). This was a low budget movie and definitely a way to show off what he can do with that budget. It would be cool to see what he could do with a huge budget, but also with a huge budget usually comes more constraints. I am interested to see what he does next regardless of budget or subject. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/18 "2018-06-03T14:33:29Z")
I kept thinking that the guy who played Grey had fantastic body control; haven’t seen anything this good since _All Of Me_ prolly. And the world-building was good. It’s a totally believable future that we’re presented with. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/19 "2018-06-03T14:54:27Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I kept thinking that the guy who played Grey had fantastic body control; haven’t seen anything this good since _All Of Me_ prolly. One nice touch regarding that was in one of the early fight scenes, where STEM reached up with a hand to move Grey’s head out of the way of a punch… because STEM only controlled Grey’s body from the neck down. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160/20 "2018-06-03T20:30:45Z")
I didn’t catch that! Good point. Also true upon reflection that STEM was the one with the upgrade. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upgrade-open-spoilers-after-1-june-2018/814160.md?page=2)