Autómata

I am myself to blame for only looking at IMDb ratings and the occasional movie trailer from the mall screens, but I still can't believe that this is not a movie that everyone is talking about. It's great!

A post apocalyptic movie made by Spain and Bulgaria, it shows an insurance agent (the only people who actually do any motivated detective work :) ) trying to find out what is going on with robots behaving strangely. Two laws are restricting said robots from harming people and from altering any robots and it appears someone has found away around these hardcoded rules.

The film reminded me of Blade Runner, obviously, but it went a slightly different direction, more akin to Sector 9. The gruesomeness of the dirty city and the violent slums outside it is clear and uncompromising - think Brazil meets Cidade de Deus. The acting is good, slightly overemotional in the case of Antonio Banderas - but he is Spanish, so we understand, and completely balanced by the coolness of the Blue Robot (Javier Bardem, lol). I couldn't really find a problem with the direction and the script was great!

So, bottom line: a wonderful film. It shows that it is not the highest budget movie in the world, but it more than compensates through story, details, acting and even casting. I thought McDermott's character was a very good one to explain the overall attitude of humans towards robots and it felt like they could have added some more to it. If you liked Blade Runner you will love this movie! See how a little European vision can change how a movie feels to you.

It cannot be coincidence that films concerning the integration of humanity and artificial intelligence, including this film Automata, Transcendence, Doomsday Book, Ghost in the Shell Arise, and the Machine, alongside future titles, Ex Machina, Chappie and the next Terminator installment, are been released after Dr. Stephen Hawking discussed how AI is the greatest potential threat to humanity, while at the same time, Dr. David Levy predicts that by 2050, machines will not only be our friends and acquaintances, but potential spouses too.

Back in the late 1980s and early 90s, movies including Hardware and Nemesis, depicted the advancement of man and machine with less than positive results, making for graphically violent features. Similar to films from the past, Automata is not an action film, regardless of the trailer's depiction, and is more film noir. Part Blade Runner, part I, Robot, but still different than either, Automata does contain both violent and sexual content, but these aspects are in minimal supply when in contrast with the other themes explored.

Jacq Vaucan (Antonio Banderas) works for the largest robot manufacturer in the world, his job being to ensure that all robots abide by the strict guidelines they are mandated to follow. Those that attempt to become more human, by having their design augmented by a Clock-Smith, are immediately subject to termination. Unlike other protagonists, Vaucan is not the stereotypical, plucky hero, and is instead forced into a situation that demands action. In a dire, post-apocalyptic world, where few people it seems do the right thing, Vaucan is forced to take a stand.

Other actors, like Dylan McDermott as Sean, and Robert Forster as Bold have smaller roles, and were potentially cast because they are known quantities, however it is potentially Melanie Griffith as the voice of robot Dupre, who is most interesting, her voice helping to provide not only life, but humanity to her character.

Although the story is not as fast paced as other science fiction films of today, the effects are truly beautiful, and provides sustenance to the non-organic characters. A story of survival, moral-bankruptcy, commitment, understanding and evolution, Automata is one of those few intelligent features that makes us question our place in the world, and whether we as humans truly deserve to inherit whatever future may await us. Although the ending is not entirety conclusive, we acquire enough information to adequately summarize how the characters and their journeys may continue after the film comes to a close.

Banderas' attempt at a sci-fi flick has great potential but it ultimately falls flat.

It's not because of the story. Although the trailer makes it clear that we're dealing with a recycled idea from Asimov's universe (robots that become more human than some humans), the movie barely scratches the surface of the issues at hand and chooses a middle path between a serious deep movie and an action flick and fails at both.

Banderas' character is the only one that interesting and it's easy to follow him and his point of view all the way from a corporate lackey to a guy involved in some ethical dilemmas. He acts well, way better than the movie average.

The first problem is that there aren't any other well-drawn characters. Everyone else is flat, starting from his family, his boss and his opponents. To call them one-dimensional is giving them too much credit, I would say they are soulless and at some point I was really hoping for them to just die and leave us with the robots and Banderas. I can't fault the actors much, it's the script that didn't give them any chance.

The second problem is the plot. Although the story has potential, the plot fails at acquiring it. It won't take long to see that at some point the actions of the 'bad guys' really stop making sense, they are there just as a really poor excuse for some lame attempts at action sequences (I'm not going to detail this as to not give spoilers, suffice to say that the main pretext for the confrontation between the bad guys and Banderas is not necessary at all, if you stop to think about it for a minute given the situation of the humans in the movie and whatnot).

The last one is the soundtrack. It's absolutely atrocious and the sound doesn't fit with the images at all, especially the music sequences.

I will admit that the movie is entertaining for the most part. But that's it. It wastes an amazing potential, fails to explore itself and just throws some lines and some action at you that lacks logic, common sense and characters (save for Banders and the robots).

I've never been a big fan of science fiction movies, but even if you're not a fan of the genre, this movie has a lot to offer. The film has great performances and visually it's an interesting picture to look at. The robots are probably the best part of the movie as you find yourself growing emotionally invested in them. An interesting film that holds your attention until the end.

Automata' (2014) is a critically underrated and atmospheric science- fiction thriller in the same vein as 'I Robot' and 'Blade Runner'. It boasts excellent visual effects, as well as an engaging and intelligent story. While it borrows from other science fiction it does so successfully, especially the atmospheric and decaying world we're thrusts into from the beginning.

The story centers around Antonio Banderas's character, Jacq Vaucan - a world-weary insurance agent for a robotics corporation whose job is to investigate robots violating their protocols which are one: harming any form of life, and two: they can neither repair themselves nor alter another robot in any fashion. On the trail of a robot Vaucan discovers a robot stealing parts in an apparent attempt to alter itself. This leads him to the clock master - a fixer who may have just succeeded the second protocol.

Automata is a throwback to thoughtful science fiction. It's not for the feint of heart but if you're engaged and buy into the world and the premise then you'll be rewarded. The film surprised me in a lot of ways - especially for such a relatively small budget but imagery is fantastic and the effects are mostly practical, and built with little computer generated imagery save for some backgrounds and action scenes which make it that much more realistic.

It's slower and probably has less action but if we're comparing it to what it will inevitably be compared to, 'I Robot', Automata is a better movie. More thoughtful, grittier and executed a whole lot better visually. It's not a perfect flick by any means but it's worth watching and deciding for yourself.

7.5/10