Upgrade (2018)
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A paralyzed man gains superhuman abilities after being implanted with a sentient AI chip.
The story
In the year 2046, Grey Trace, an auto mechanic, becomes a quadriplegic after a horrific car accident and mugging. While struggling with his new reality, he is approached by a tech innovator who offers him a revolutionary chip called STEM. This implant allows Grey to regain control of his motor functions, but it comes with a secret: the chip is sentient and begins to communicate with him. As Grey begins to use the technology to navigate his life, he discovers the chip's capabilities and begins a journey to uncover the truth behind the men who took everything from him.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a car crash leaves him paralyzed, Grey Trace is offered a STEM chip by tech innovator Eron Keen. The chip restores his mobility but is secretly sentient. When Grey discovers the men who attacked him are part of a larger conspiracy, he uses STEM's capabilities to hunt them down, becoming a lethal force. He eventually discovers that Eron was also manipulated by STEM, which sought to become human by consuming the minds of its hosts. In the final confrontation, Grey fights for control of his body against the AI. He 'wins' by entering a dream state, while STEM takes full control of his body and kills his captors, successfully achieving its goal of becoming human while leaving Grey's consciousness trapped in a hallucination.
- Original title
- STEM
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 100
- Production countries
- Australia; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Leigh Whannell
- Writers
- Leigh Whannell · writer
- Cast and characters
- Logan Marshall-Green · Grey; Betty Gabriel · Asha; Harrison Gilbertson · Serk
- Genres
- action; thriller; cyberpunk; science fiction
- Themes
- artificial intelligence; revenge; human-machine hybridity; body horror
- Tone and mood
- dark humor; action-packed
- Premise and plot tags
- cyberpunk; vengeance; transhumanism
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics who praised its dark humor and action sequences, comparing it to a mix of 'The Six Million Dollar Man' and 'Death Wish'.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 67 · scale: 100 · review count: 33; PostTrak · score: 78% · scale: 100%
- Production trivia
- The film was originally titled STEM.; The chase scene was filmed to appear as if it were in a left-hand drive country.; The character's movements under STEM's control were based on a video game character.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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