Storyline
Already deep into a second Cold War, Britain’s Ministry of Defense seeks a game-changing weapon. Programmer Vincent McCarthy unwittingly provides an answer in The Machine, a super-strong human cyborg. When a programming bug causes the prototype to decimate his lab, McCarthy takes his obsessive efforts underground, far away from inquisitive eyes.
Directors
Writers
Cast
Sam Ellis, Lee Nicholas Harris, Denis Lawson, Toby Stephens, Helen Griffin, Caity Lotz, Sam Hazeldine, Stuart Matthews, Nicola Reynolds, John-Paul Macleod, Pooneh Hajimohammadi, Daniel Llewelyn-Williams, Ben McGregor, Jonathan Byrne, Jade Croot, Siwan Morris, Alan Low, Sule Rimi, Joshua Higgott, Giles Thomas, Cornelius Garrett, Richard Shackley, Dafydd Emyr, Clark Fisher, Gareth Jones, Paul James
Trailer
Reviews
70
Even with a cut-and-dried approach to characterization and the issue of man-made consciousness, The Machine percolates with an elegantly palpable sense of wonder and danger.
60
Empire
Brimming with ideas and laudable ambition, it's well worth a look.
60
Time Out London
The characters could use more depth – Vincent’s backstory is told too swiftly, and his bonding with Ava is brief. But it’s still a smart, thought-provoking little thriller with strong central performances.
60
Despite some striking imagery and sterling FX work, Welsh writer/director Caradog W James’ expert use of limited resources doesn’t stretch as far as the subtlety-averse script.
58
The Playlist
When Lotz is not onscreen, Stephens is miserable company. But James does reveal a deep fascination with the robotics that suggests the threadbare story was a chance for him to explore the very real advances in artificial intelligence.
Other Movies You Might Enjoy
Mar 22, Mar 2016Batman: Bad Blood (2016)
Jul 1, Jul 2018Big Legend (2018)
Aug 13, Aug 2015Z for Zachariah (2015)
Nov 26, Nov 1986Solarbabies (1986)
Apr 30, Apr 2026Alien in the Heartland (2026)
May 11, May 2016Einstein’s God Model (2016)
May 3, May 1979Phantasm (1979)
Feb 18, Feb 1990The Death of the Incredible Hulk (1990)