Androide

Craggy old Klaus Kinski lives with his awkward assistant Max on a space station, developing a female android. Max spends his time playing old arcade games and researching the human condition - (I heard somewhere that the external shots of the space station were done by creating a model station from a display case which used to house watches or jewelry!) Into this scenario comes band of escaped convicts on a space ship badly damaged during their escape ...

There is humour in this film but it is of a very dark shade. The LACK of special effects ADDS to the "reality" of the film.

A couple of really unexpected plot twists along the way - I rate it a "9" which is the highest I have ever given a film on the IMDb

One of my favourites! The film has a haunting quirkiness about it. Klaus Kinski is the perfect mad scientist. The MAX404 android really projects his confusion about and desire to understand his emotions. Loved the soundtrack. This movie is not for those who only like those big Hollywood "sci-fi" films. It will appeal to those who enjoy REAL sci-fi though.

"Android" is somewhere between a cheesy film and a proper movie. The look isn't exactly on the level of "Star Wars", but those early 80s space films are both visually and plot-wise superior to any (semi-)cheesy 90s or 00s sci-fi movies. The interiors of the space station are quite good, the special effects are okay. There are certainly moments of nonsense, such as the female fugitive not being sure what an android is. If most late-20th-century people knew what an android is, then what are the odds that a relatively young woman from the year 2028 - imprisoned for corporate espionage - would not know this? Still, in spite of some logic holes, the acting isn't bad, the dialogue is okay. The movie's biggest assets are the somewhat unique atmosphere, and the unpredictability of the plot - which early on might appear to be easy to predict. Short and not dull.

I think most of the budget of this New World sci-fi film probably went toward Klaus Kinski. It's amazing how many low-budget specials this guy has made. Nevertheless, "Android" does have some charms to it. Don Keith Oper does double duty as screenwriter and Max, the android of the title and helps make this somewhat interesting. Neither of the ladies in this film really had much of a career after it and watching them one can see why. They don't really bring much to the party. The director does a decent job considering the budget limitations and went on to a successful career doing TV shows and occasional TV movies. But can you guess which of these performers actually appeared in "Saving Private Ryan"? Yes, tough guy Mendes, Crodton Hardester.

Take a predictable android sci-fi plot, a coming of age story, some cops & robbers, and a pinch of "Bride of Frankenstein". Put it all in a low-budget ensemble film and stir vigorously. What you end up with is interesting, engaging, and unique in spite of its obvious flaws.

Android Max and his scientist master are living in a remote space station when they are joined by a trio of fugitives - a beauty, a beast, and a brain. The brain figures that they've stumbled onto something valuable seeing as how androids have been outlawed on Earth ever since the uprising. It turns out that at a certain age, the androids become disrespectful, insubordinate, and obsessed with sex. In other words, they turn into adolescents. So we can all sympathize with what Max is going through when he sees a female for the very first time. Meanwhile, the scientist is working on a new and improved replacement for Max, a model which just happens to also be a gorgeous blond woman.

The plot lines are cliché and full of holes, the ending is a bit of a cheat, and the special effects are weak. The film works, however, because it pays close attention to the things which matter, mainly Max and his own isolated world. Although many have criticized the cheap sets, they maintain a coherent mood and atmosphere which is entirely successful in creating a fictional space in which the story can take place. Max himself is one of the most intelligently scripted and well acted android characters to ever appear on screen. You'll be disappointed if you're looking for action or deep meanings, but if you allow yourself to take an interest in Max you may find yourself thinking about him long after the film has ended.