Don’t expect to see any ass-kicking, super intelligent robots that look like Caity Lotz to hit the market anytime soon, but, until the real scientists move beyond mapping slug brains, you can catch the ultimate cybernetic super soldier in action in Caradog James’ Tribeca Film Festival entry, “The Machine.”
Neck deep in the second Cold War, Britain’s Ministry of Defense is desperate to develop the ultimate weapon to give them the edge so they hire expert programmer Dr. Vincent McCarthy (Toby Stephens). Vincent does manage to develop an implant to restore a degree of life to veterans suffering from brain damage, but in order to prefect the design and avoid costly malfunctions, he needs a technology that exhibits a degree of humanistic understanding. After perfecting his work, he gives rise to the ultimate machine, but even while it adheres to his and his superior’s requirements, it also questions the ethics behind its creations and whether the robot will really bring them safety or rather a new form of danger.
Having just celebrated the film’s world premiere on Saturday night, James was in town to discuss the research required to create a believable narrative, the extensive amount of preparation needed to accommodate the VFX, the challenge of conveying all the necessary details without overloading an audience and more. Hear all about it straight from James himself in the video interview below and, if you’re in the New York area, catch “The Machine” tonight at 10pm or on Saturday the 27th at 11:59pm.