Upgrade

A violent mugging leaves Grey Trace paralyzed and his wife dead, upending the quiet life they shared. A wealthy inventor offers an experimental fix, an AI implant called STEM that reconnects Grey's nervous system to machines. The implant restores his mobility and grants him enhanced strength, speed, and precision, and Grey begins to use these new abilities to locate the men who ruined his life. As he becomes more capable, the film tightens around escalating confrontations and the uneasy interplay between Grey's human impulses and the machine guiding his body, without revealing how things ultimately resolve.

Released in 2018, Upgrade was written and directed by Leigh Whannell and stars Logan Marshall-Green as Grey Trace. The film is an original screenplay that mixes science fiction premises with grounded action and a noir-tinged tone.

Upgrade had a modest theatrical run after its release, appealing strongly to genre fans. Its commercial profile grew over time through streaming and home video, where word of mouth boosted its audience beyond the initial box office window.

The movie left a noticeable mark on genre conversations for its physical stunt work and inventive camera choreography. STEM, as a concept, came up in discussions about AI prosthetics and ethical control, and particular action sequences have been shared widely online, helping the film find a steady fanbase.

Critical and audience response leaned positive, reflected in a 7.5/10 vote average from 4,804 votes. Reviewers often singled out the film's tight pacing, dark humor, and efficient worldbuilding, while commentary frequently focused on themes of revenge, bodily autonomy, and the moral costs of technologic enhancement. The balance of visceral action with speculative questions about control and identity kept conversations lively after release.