A science fiction film made in the “Blade Runner” mold, “Automata” is unique and worth watching.
If the visuals are taken from Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi classic, the narrative is clearly inspired by the short story collection “I, Robot” from Isaac Asimov. In “Automata,” Jacq Vaucan (Antonio Banderas) is an insurance agent for the ROC robotics corporation. In the future, the earth’s population is much smaller due to some sort of catastrophe. The opening credits sequence is heavy on exposition but sets this stage for the purpose of robots and how they are helping humans cope with their now hard-scrabble existence. Asimov’s laws of robotics have been shrunk from 3 to 2. The “rules” focus on not harming humans and a prohibition against self-repair. The first one is Asimov directly but the second is a spin on his third law.
As Vaucan investigates strange robot behavior, he discovers modified robots that may or may not pose a threat to humans. The corporate bottom line is in jeopardy and Vaucan’s boss Robert Bold (Robert Forster) cautions Vaucan not to dig too deep. Meanwhile, a police officer name Wallace (Dylan McDermott) is hunting the modified robots taking them out whenever possible.
Less an action thriller and more a thoughtful exposition on a future with automated companions, “Automata” is remarkably intelligent if a little frustrating. Melanie Griffith appears briefly as a robotics expert, and it is impossible not to think of “Cherry 2000.” I wanted to see more of her character and build on the world within the city, however, when the action moves to the desert, the film loses some steam. Still, rarely do we see such good-looking science fiction that borrows smartly from the best films of the genre and tries to do something intellectual with the material.
With “Automata,” special effects expert turned director Gabe Ibáñez gives SF fans a film worthy of their time and thought.