Film Review: The Machine

The Machine is the story of the creation of A.I. by ambitious scientists working for the Ministry of Defense in the U.K. Can you predict the outcome? If you've been reading or watching certain sci-fi stories and heck, if you watched the trailer above, you'll probably think you can. About 1/3 the way through this movie I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen, then about 1/2 way through I got a pleasant surprise. The film veered into largely unexplored territory that had me paying attention until the end.

What makes the Machine different is though it starts in the same place as the films that ask "what happens if we make A.I., ask it to kill for us (a.k.a. defend us), and we can't control it?" it winds up asking the question, "What happens if we make A.I., ask it to kill for us, and it says "no"?" This small twist on the question is what makes this film worth watching. It explores the interplay between man and machine and dares to ask which is more human? Us, or what we create? It does this brilliantly, using both Caty Lotz's (Arrow, Mad Men) "Machine" and the plight of the human soldiers in the research complex that have been turned into government puppets through the use of implanted computerized devices.

Though made on a low budget for a film of this type, The Machine manages to deliver action, good special effects, philosophy, and asks what it is to be truly human in a militaristic and mechanized world all without missing a beat. Though the beginning is somewhat cliché, I urge you to get past it and get to the real meat of the film. You will not regret it.