“Upgrade”…why have I not heard of this masterpiece before?!

Alright, so the title might be a teeny-weeny, white lie because a good friend and even better filmmaker, Arne Boshof, did suggest this film to me some time ago. But if I had to watch every film he ever suggested, they would have to break me free from the hardened, built-up excrement cementing me to the couch. Simply put, it’s a lot! And so another viewing went on the to-watch-list…until today.

Upgrade tells the story of Grey, a bit of a pro-human-tech-skeptic who seeks revenge after a group of calculating killers murder his wife and paralyze him from the neck down. A young, peculiar, tech-magnet then offers to implant a chip into his neck that would allow him to regain control of his body again. Of course he accepts but only to find out that the chip, called Stem, is an advanced A.I. who can talk to him. Stem also proves useful in tracking down and disposing of the men responsible for his wife’s murder, in a perfectly tailored, violent splendor. It’s brutal and oh, so pleasing. This all happens on the backdrop of a blade-runner/cyberpunk world set somewhere in the distant future. There are also some twists and turns at the end, some predictable, others not but none of which would eventually turn out to be a deal-breaker for me.

So why do I love this film so? In trying to keep this short, I’ll some it up like this.

- Cinematography

- Music

- Acting

- Violence

“…Upgrade is one of the best cinematographic displays you are bound to see”

- Me

If you’re anything like me, you love traditional cinema and that means, traditional cinematography. You love the simplicity of it. You love, and respect the fact that the cinematographer is not trying to get your attention in every frame of every shot like a child seeking parental approval. It’s not about them, it’s about the story, right? But every now and then a film comes along that braves that quest and, not only manages to pull it off, but also makes you wanna turn into that obnoxious cinematography-geek, who just has to tell everybody who their new favorite cinematographer is. And yeah, that’s me now. Congratulations Stefan Duscio, your poster now hangs on my wall. It’s more of a shrine really…

Seriously though, what Stefan Duscio managed to do, was to take story-elements and successfully incorporate them into his approach. Now this idea is nothing new and all good cinematographers do this but usually the end-goal of all film departments, is to hide their presence at every turn. What’s exciting and different about Upgrade, is that it doesn’t seem as though Stefan and his team were the least bit interested in doing so. For most of the film you are very aware of the choreographed camera movements and it just seems to works. It is the first film I’ve seen where the viewer is seemingly, purposefully, being made aware of the cinematography and I cannot imagine Upgrade, being filmed any other way. It’s brilliant and I thank them for that. This doesn’t happen in isolation of course. Film is a multifaceted venture and all other departments need to be on point, no matter what thematic elements or genres being played with, in whatever way.

From the art- to the sound department, every consideration taken, feels measured and appropriate. The stereotypical colorful, yet grimy world of neon-like cyberpunk doesn’t feel overblown or exaggerated. It’s not a spectacle. The way it was depicted feels more real if anything, as though it was a genuine attempt at creating an accurate depiction of what the world would really look like in a futuristic-cyberpunk setting. The retro-style 80’s synths, also adds the right amount of flavoring to sell the experience properly.

Last but certainly not least, is the performance by Logan Marshall-Green. There’s something about Logan Marshall-Green that makes him feel like a familiar stranger. I usually refer to this as the Tom Hardy - effect. When an actor has this air about him, this seemingly approachable quality, they manage to be likable just by their physical presence on-screen even when they are portraying a villain. This does not just refer to aesthetics but also to the way they move, their expressions and their mannerisms within every role they portray. It’s not something they consciously control but rather, unknowingly project. They come across as uniquely-casual in their performances, creating a sort of inviting and comfortable viewing experience. Logan-Marshall-Green does a great job of playing a man who has to take a back seat to an A.I. who takes over his body and in the process, commits grizzly deeds. The character’s shock and concern feels genuine as Stem forces his body to nearly decapitate a baddie with a knife. The disconnect between Grey’s mind and his body are convincing to say the least.

All-in-all Upgrade is a fun, energetic and grounded film that could be lauded for its cinematography alone. I guess I can’t understand why more people are not talking about this film on a regular basis. Even though I am two-years late, I still remember Upgrade as this quiet film being whispered about in the background, instead of being celebrated front and center. The mention of the film was usually met by an unenthusiastic “…yeah, was great hey” shortly followed by a “…which reminds me, have you seen the new Star Wars?”, as though it were some acceptable segway into other films. Perhaps it’s presence on Netflix might change that, it certainly did for me. So if you haven’t seen it, do so now and thank me later.

17/03/2021 – 21:29