Semi Automatic

Mindless is right. As Joe Bob likes to say: this movie has 20 minutes too much plot. but this is because it's a pretty lame plot, full of holes and general silliness. The idea is workable but done better elsewhere. The action sequences are good in spots and terribly fake in others. None of the main characters come across as believable. A couple of amusing moments-including two all-too brief scenes with Jerry Doyle. The lead moll was hamming it up rather nicely but unfortunately she looks more early 90's than vintage. I think narration is meant to lend it a Raymond Chandler feel but gets old in a hurry. Definitely feels like a quickie, no one involved cared enough to make anything authentic, whether you're talking about the acting, the costumes, the action or the humor.

Some people may want to spend their hard earned money on a vacation to a robotic realm where you are essentially beating people in alleys or drinking in bars among robots acting like gangsters, but I am not sure I would enjoy that much at all. Kind of like Westworld, I am just not into the violence angle. Now, make it an all sex park and I am in! Doing all the stuff you want, no disease and no commitment, sign me up for that! But, beating up people and being threatened seems a bit brutish. Maybe if they made it like a fantasy video game where you roam the open fields, that would be cool too...

The story to this thing is a Gangster themed robot park is about to have a major upgrade. However, things are not all right as a robot is made and its job is to execute one of the main guys in said park. This robot fails and is turned on, so he still goes after the programmer and they both try to figure out what is going on while the girl the programmer likes must be rescued.

Pretty standard stuff here, nothing to take too seriously, just a big old hunk of cheese. The actors are unrecognizable with the exception of that guy who was the star of these annoying car commercials from back in the day and as the neighbor on the show Empty Nest. So we get vague European guy, annoying whiny wimp guy, spunky cute girl, dumb security guard and hot but strangely inserted into the main story gangster girlfriend.

The movie was not good, but it was enjoyable enough that I was not bored while watching it. I was also wanting to know what was behind the whole sabotaging; granted, when we do learn the truth it kind of does not make much sense seeing as how if it was successful the park would have most likely closed down. So basically, there are better ways to spend an hour and a half, but there are also worse.

This movie is basically an update of Westworld. In the year 2028, a fantasy park with part-human androids allows real humans to vent their violent tendencies. Someone sabotages the park and the androids go berserk. The movie quickly goes from dark horror to near-slapstick comedy. With less than a minute's editing, this movie could easily get a PG-13 and maybe even a "G" rating (no kidding!). A good film for 90 minutes of mindless fun, suitable for the whole family if brief nudity is not minded. Watch for "Joe Isuzu" in a role remarkably close to his TV ads!