Film Review - The Machine (2014)

Available on DVD and Blu Ray-

"The Machine" - (2014) -  Two Computer Scientists (Toby Stephens and Caity Lotz) experimenting on brain-damaged former soldiers to create the first self-aware artificial intelligence find themselves at the mercy of the military personnel determined to turn their breakthrough creation into a killing machine.

Former Bond Villain Toby Stephens (Die Another Day) is merely serviceable as the central protagonist hoping to find a cure for his sickly daughter, while Lotz (The CW’s Arrow), portraying his idealistic protégé-turned-cyborg via tragedy, should have a healthy career ahead of her- she’s talented, attractive and in phenomenal shape.  Their characters are flawed but interesting, though missing that necessary dynamic to make them memorable for more than a few moments after the film’s conclusion.

Much like the film’s title, this British-produced Sci-Fi Thriller is just too damned cold and detached to get substantial entertainment value out of.  The film’s shoe-string budget is utilized quite nicely until the final act rolls around; the climactic showdown between the titular Machine and her heavily-armed handlers is woefully thin in the action fireworks department.

Expect a wealth of ominously dark cinematography, a terrific synth score (courtesy of Tom Raybould) and a couple of surprising, left-field moments.

Although I’d mark it up as passable, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I was watching a previously un-aired episode of the most recent Outer Limits television series (the second run, from 1995-2002) that was dusted off and jazzed up a bit for current audiences.  The Machine is intermittently interesting, marginally entertaining, though ultimately underwhelming Sci-Fi fare.


6.0 out of 10

Director: Caradog W. James
Cast: Toby Stephens, Caity Lotz, Denis Lawson, Sam Hazeldine and Pooneh Hajimohammadi
Run-Time: 91 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for violence and some language