Death Machine

Death Machine is a 1994 British-Japanese cyberpunk horror film written and directed by Stephen Norrington.[2][1] It stars Brad Dourif, Ely Pouget, William Hootkins, John Sharian, and Richard Brake. Rachel Weisz, still early in her career at the time of the film's release, appears in a brief supporting role. The film was the directorial debut of Norrington, who had previously worked as a special effects artist on films such as Lifeforce, Aliens, Hardware, The Witches, and Split Second.

Death Machine
Theatrical release poster
Directed byStephen Norrington
Produced byDominic Anciano
Written byStephen Norrington
Starring
Music byCrispin Merrell
CinematographyJohn de Borman
Edited byPaul Endacott
Production
company
Fugitive Features
Distributed byEntertainment Film Distributors
Release date
  • 4 February 1994 (1994-02-04) (United Kingdom)
Running time
120 minutes[1]
Country
Budget$6.5 million

The film garnered controversy for both its violent content and Dourif's character. These factors resulted in the film being banned in some countries, including Sri Lanka, Iran, China, Malaysia, Iraq, New Zealand, and Australia.[3] Despite the controversy, the film received mixed reviews. Many critics praised the special effects, production design, and cinematography, but criticized the acting and plot.

Plot

In the near future, Chaank Armament has become the world's leading manufacturer of military hardware. Chaank security operatives led by John Carpenter find and secure a malfunctioning cybernetically-enhanced supersoldier codenamed Hard Man that has massacred the patrons of a roadside diner. Public outcry ensues following the incident, the majority of it directed at the company's new Chief Executive Hayden Cale.

Chairman of the Board Scott Ridley tries to cover up the incident and the numerous issues with the Hard Man project itself, while Cale demands for immediate and full public disclosure, having purposely leaked a number of Chaank documents to the press in defiance of Ridley's attempts to suppress knowledge about the company's shadier activities. She also demands the termination of Jack Dante, Chaank's deranged weapons' designer and the developer of Project Hard Man. Despite Carpenter's acknowledgement of the project's numerous fatal flaws, the board ignores Cale's requests, no one seeming to care for her interests except Dante himself. Cale is warned by a junior executive about Dante's unstable behavior and Nicholson, the former's late predecessor. Cale goes to confront Dante, demanding to know about Dante's secret project in Vault 10, for which he never submits progress reports. Far from cooperative, Dante instead threatens Cale, makes unsettling advances towards her and personal threats. Cale asks Ridley for help, but he refuses and tells her Nicholson took a similar interest in Dante's work, and was later killed in a mysterious accident resembling an animal mauling. During their confrontation, Cale manages to lift Ridley's access card so she can investigate on her own. Dante learns Cale has the card and confronts Ridley, killing him with a mysterious weapon.

Meanwhile, a trio of eco-warriors, Raimi, Weyland, and Yutani infiltrate the Chaank high-rise headquarters in order to destroy its digitally stored assets and send the company into bankruptcy. Carpenter calls Cale after finding Ridley's mutilated body through an implanted life-sign transmitter. She investigates and finds out that whatever killed him came from Vault 10. Taking matters into her own hands, she terminates Dante's employment and seals the vault. Enraged, Dante is about to shoot her when the eco-warriors show up and take them and Carpenter hostage. They demand access to the building's secure area in order to destroy the company's digital bonds, but Cale refuses to cooperate. Raimi goes to their alternate plan of cutting through the bulkhead leading to the containment area. Dante, sensing his chance, "helps" them by suggesting they cut through one of the vaults surrounding the containment instead, suggesting they start at vault 10.

Once the vault is open, Dante jumps in and activates his invention, called Frontline Morale Destroyer (aka 'Warbeast'), which promptly kills Weyland. Raimi flees, meeting up with Yutani and the subdued Cale and Carpenter. Dante broadcasts his demands over the monitor system, demanding that his employment be reinstated, and that Cale "interface with him on a regular basis".

Raimi and Yutani cancel their operation and attempt to get out of the building, along with Carpenter and Cale, but Carpenter is killed by the Warbeast inside of a lift. Later on, Raimi, Yutani and Cale get into the top floor of the building, which holds classified items unknown to Cale. Among them are the primary components of Project Hard Man, including advanced weaponry and armour. Raimi suits up and downloads the Hard Man data into his brain. Fighting off the Warbeast, he manages to it slow down enough to allow an escape via an outdoor service elevator. Yutani, however, is killed by the Warbeast after tripping and falling in front of it. Once Raimi and Cale make it back to the surface, they have an altercation with a police officer who is quickly killed by the Warbeast as it falls from the rooftop. It chases Cale and Raimi back into the building, and the former use explosives to partially incapacitate the Warbeast; however the explosion knocks out Raimi. The machine takes Cale back to Dante. During their conversation, Raimi regains consciousness and subdues Dante. The two escape, and Hayden seals Dante inside of the vault with the Warbeast.

Cast

Awards

Sitges Film Festival

YearCategoryResult
1995Best Special EffectsNominated
1995Best Actor (Brad Dourif)Nominated

Fantafestival

YearCategoryResult
1994Best Special EffectsWon

References

  1. Erlewine, Iotis. "Death Machine". Allmovie. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  2. "Death Machine". British Film Institute. London. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109575/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv
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