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As comes as no surprise, writer\/director LEIGH WHANNELL wows with UPGRADE!\u00a0 Best known to date as one of the creative forces behind the “Saw” and “Insidious” franchises, as well as playing the beloved “Specs”, right hand to Lin Shaye’s “further-delving” Elise Ranier throughout “Insidious” saga, Whannell now reaches further within himself, digging deeper into his own talents to pull out all the stops and deliver UPGRADE.\u00a0 Written and directed by Whannell, UPGRADE pushes the envelope not only with\u00a0action but on a philosophical level in the ever-raging battle of man vs. machine.<\/p>\n
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A mind-blowing cinematic experience, UPGRADE is not only a visual stunner with high polish and some lush production design thanks to cinematographer Stefan Duscio and Production Designer Felicity Abbott, but its Whannell’s story and conceptualization that is beyond exciting.\u00a0 Here we meet Grey Trace.\u00a0 A lover of all things old school living in a not-too-distant-world of computerized artificiality (and in many respects, the here and now), Grey accepts the hi-tech work of his wife Asha as part of existence, but for him it will never replace the sensory experience of getting your hands dirty with real work and a hands-on existence.\u00a0 Thanks to a brutal assault on the couple, Asha is killed and Grey is left a quadriplegic.\u00a0 But what if Grey’s physical functionality could be restored?\u00a0 What if he could be made whole again by the very technology he rages against?\u00a0 Approached by a genius billionaire who doesn’t look old enough to ride a bicycle let alone develop an artificial intelligence implant system known as S.T.E.M., Grey must face his darkest demons and fears.\u00a0 Does he remain in his paralyzed state or accept the technology that will allow him to seek vengeance against those who murdered his wife?\u00a0 And of course, everything has a price attached.<\/p>\n
This ideology of man versus machine and their interdependence is beyond compelling and thought-provoking. Man needs machines.\u00a0 No matter how hands on one may want to be, you still need a machine in this day and age,\u00a0 be it a computer or a drone, or in the case of Grey – STEM, but where do you draw the line on integration and implementation. Where does the point become where man ceases to be man and becomes machine – be it through robotic surgeries and enhancements or simply by not using his own brain?\u00a0 Whannell explores this and more with a script that twists and turns and takes you down the rabbit hole with a full sensory experience.<\/p>\n
Starring Logan Marshall-Green as Grey Trace, Harrison Gilbertson as computer genius Eron, and Benedict Hardie in a chilling “Hitler-esque” performance as militant leader Fisk, UPGRADE is a perfect blend of action, terror and sci-fi.<\/p>\n
Always a pleasure, I sat down again with Leigh Whannell, this time to talk about his own directorial upgrade with UPGRADE. . .<\/p>\n