Saturday, January 24, 2015

Android (1982)

Note:  This review was originally posted to my Epinions account.


It seems like up until 20 years ago, anyone with a camera, enough studio space and a few warm bodies could make a movie.  Sometimes, you got a good movie out of it.  Usually, you got something that, at best, is incredibly campy.  Not that that’s a bad thing…

When going through the list of on-demand movies I had available for free, I came across Android.  Released in 1982 and running 80 minutes, I figured that this couldn’t be that good, but I was bored and it was free.  I figured I might as well get another review in before year’s end.

The entire movie takes place on a space station.  For some reason, a scientist (Dr. Daniel) has been given run of the entire thing, left alone with only Max, his assistant.  Dr. Daniel is running some sort of experiment which we gather is probably something that’s not exactly mainstream.

One day, a few fugitives drop in.  Max, not being that bright or socially apt, lets them in without too many questions.  We come to learn that Max is an android and that androids were wiped out because they eventually exhibited sociopathic behavior.  Max is just reaching this stage in his development, evidenced by his increasing resistance to taking orders and aggressive tendencies.

Add to that the fact that one of the fugitives is a woman.  The good doctor acts like he hasn’t been near a woman in ten years and Max, never having seen a woman, acts… well, like he’s never actually seen a woman.  He’s also pretty desperate to get to Earth.  He finds out that he’s slated to be decommissioned.  He pleads with the woman to take him back to Earth, as he knows that he’ll never have another opportunity.

I don’t mind cheesiness so much if the movie is otherwise good.  Unfortunately, Android didn’t quite come together.  For starters, who leaves two people alone on a space station?  If I were there, I’d ask for some sort of medical personnel and an engineer or two.  At least a few people coming on and/or off the station.  Other than convicts, that is.

And as for the convicts, who breaks out of prison without some sort of plan?  It seemed like the three of them simply seized the moment and broke out of prison.  If you’re going to break out, wouldn’t you think it through?  Maybe have someone waiting for you?  I’m surprised that any of them made it out alive.

I also hated how androids and robots of the 80s seemed to be a bit clumsy.  Max had few, if any, social skills.  Granted, that may come from spending his entire existence on a space station, but you’d think the good doctor would spend a little time with Max.  Max has only video games and really bad porn to entertain himself.

I think this movie was overpriced at free.


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