Review of Automata (2014) by Paul D — 28 Sep 2015

The script feels like a preliminary draft. The plot sets up nicely as a political, ethically challenging film, but rapidly devolves. Many of the characters seem to act irrationally; much of the dialog feels poorly thought out, portraying antagonists in particular as irrational buffoons.

The CG is impressive, minus the lack of motion blur; fast robotic actions are rendered sharp frame to frame, creating choppy motions.

This film's semi-saving grace may be that the robots are portrayed as interesting, misunderstood creatures. Their behavior is fascinating to watch, but it just doesn't carry the film. The ending parallels the protagonist's random flashbacks, but has nothing to do with the actual plot. There's loose ends all over the place.

Automata is worth checking out, but don't expect a resolute ending.