Synopsis
To keep this short and sweet, this movie is about a data analyst learning to trust an AI as they both team up to stop another AI from destroying all of humanity. Or as I’d like to call it, Age of Ultron without the cool vibes of, well the entire movie. If you are interested in more details about the movie, I’d recommend reading a synopsis here because this is the best I could do! https://insessionfilm.com/movie-review-atlas/#google_vignette
What Works for the Film
There was only one thing that worked in this movie and it lasted a couple seconds. There was a pretty cool fight scene that happened as the ship was descending to a new planet and if that scene could have been a little bit longer and more action was used in the film it would have made it slightly better. I would also say that Sterling K. Brown was a great addition to the film, but we didn’t get to see him in all of his abilities because of the minor role he played. I would say the highlight of the film was Smith, her AI companion throughout the film. I’m not sure if this was purposeful or not, but he was the most interesting and the reason I stayed to watch the whole movie! He reminded me of Titanfall’s main Titan BT-7274 and that gave me something to hold onto.
What Needs to be Improved
I do my best to keep my reviews short and to the point, so I’ll narrow my critics down to about two key points.
One: When you are executing a sci-fi story that has similar elements to that of other sci-fi stories, even if you’re not aiming to do something that’s never been done before, you are required to add your own flare to the story. This film unfortunately did not. There wasn’t anything new that I didn’t see before and the elements that I did see, I’ve seen it done better several times before. The idea that AI will eventually mature into a militaristic force to wipe out the planet is not new, yes, but the execution of this film reminds me of just how overused it is in the media. There are no new thoughts provided or usage of the idea that makes me say, “Wow, I never thought about it that way.”
Two: The characters don’t get enough time to do much on the screen. Even though this film runs longer than 70 minutes, I felt like I didn't get to be with any of the characters long enough to connect to their losses and triumphs.
One aspect that grinds my gears in films is when the main character is clearly in the wrong, but supporting characters insist on making said main character feel as if it’s not their fault. Atlas makes a decision that is responsible for killing a lot of people and instead of taking ownership for that problem, we are told it’s not her fault and remains untouched.
I have a huge problem with movies that treat the audience like they are not intelligent and this film made me feel like I was on a 3rd grade reading level. If this review ever reaches any
upcoming screenwriters, do yourself a favor and trust your audience’s ability to understand your story.
Verdict: I Watched this Movie so you don’t have to!
I’m going to wrap this portion up in a couple of sentences: Want to watch a better Atlas? Go watch Age of Ultron. Do you want to play in a mech-suit? Play Titanfall 2. Whatever you do, do not watch this film.
Side note: RIP to my girl Zoe, you deserved better!