The Machine is a beautifully filmed science fiction thriller that has a little something for everyone. From the award-winning acting and almost non-stop action to the moral dilemmas and heart breaking undertones, it’s a wonderfully pragmatic and thoroughly entertaining B-movie that’s sure to please sci-fi fans from all corners.
Set in the near future with the world thrown into an economic crisis, Britain’s Ministry Of Defense (MoD) has been secretly working underground to bring about an army of artificially intelligent robotic soldiers. With incredible strength, agility and unquestioning obedience, along with passing off seamlessly as human, the MoD seems near completion of their plan. Veteran AI engineer Vincent(Toby Stephens), has other plans for the newly discovered self-aware AI. Having a mentally handicapped daughter, Vincent has been searching for a way to incorporate the AI into his daughter and heal future brain injuries, even at the price of being funded by and working for the MoD. The constant pull of what makes man and what makes machine resonates through the battle of hurting vs healing at the core of the film.
While being firmly set as a B-movie, The Machine’s cinematography and cast do not leave your senses in any pain. The “Military Base” scenes were filmed at Greenham Common which is a former Royal Air Force station in Berkshire, England. The location gives a realism to the MoD’s sinister plans that can be very hard to achieve without proper background. Few times in the film are scenes cut ‘above ground’, even then, things are dark and foreboding keeping with the main theme of turmoil.
Toby Stephens plays the role of the loving father/humanitarian with incredible accuracy. Willing to go to any and all lengths to help his daughter and attempt to improve the world. From working with people whose views are polar opposites, to being downright brutal in his methods of getting what he needs. Beautiful co-star Caity Lotz plays Ava/The Machine. From performing ninja-like feats of agility, to being able to murder with her bare hands, her role serves up as much action as it does the obligatory sexual tension. (Who doesn’t love a cold-blooded, hot bodied android?)
Overall, The Machine is a fantastic film that’s chock-full of delight, danger and heartbreak. The B quality flaws are so few and far between and so minimal, they take naught from the enjoyment of the movie. The Machine has won three BAFTA awards, Best of UK Film Award at Raindance Film Festival, and Achievement Against the Odds Prize by the British Independent Film Awards. They certainly weren’t wrong in their choice of winning cinema.
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