LFF 2014 - Robot Overlords

When you think of robots on the big screen many will offer up the likes of the Transformers, Johnny Five and various others when our technologically advanced beings come into play. While robotics have recently been thrust upon us with big-budget sci-fi clout, one film coming way of the UK looks to remain a little more grounded. Combining the likes of Sir Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson, Jon Wright's Robot Overlords presents a family adventure that doesn't quite hit the dizzy heights of manny of its predecessors.

The world has been ravaged by war as robots have taken over and dictate the lives of all humans, meaning life outside homes is practically impossible. When Sean Flynn (Callan McAuliffe) becomes determined to find his missing father (Steven Mackinstosh), he sets out on an adventure with his friends as danger lays in wait in the form of both the hulking robots patrolling and the betraying Smythe (Sir Ben Kingsley).

As Sean and his friends look to get closer to seeking out his father, Smythe schemes and involves Sean's mother (Gillian Anderson) in his treachery. With help in the form of the rebellious Wayne (Tamer Hassan) and a special power of his own unlocked along the way, can the robots be finally eradicated or will the planet remain a slave to the machines?

The first thing instantly noticeable about Robot Overlords is its over-willingness to throw around swear words as if it were a teenage comedy aimed at audiences 15 and above. Unfortunately this is not the case, and with its target audience very much in the youthful category, the visual gags and obsessive dropping of foul language appears rather distasteful. From a reference to the 'c word', to a kid making a robot scratch his nether regions, Robot Overlords rides very close to the edge and doesn't let up.

In its story is where the film actually garners the most plaudits; from its setup of a robots-versus-humans war to the aftermath, the film lays the foundations for an interesting movie well and even has some clever ideas along the way. Foolishly, this soon becomes dislodged and almost becomes a parody of itself with some truly questionable acting and even more puzzling dialogue.

Considering the status of its main draw actors in the fray, Robot Overlords gives both Sir Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson little to work with in terms of delivery. Admittedly, Anderson is incredibly wooden in her mother role, while Kingsley plays his pantomime villain to the best of his ability (ala Thunderbirds), but it all feels a little winceworthy. That's even before the massively miscast and unintentionally hilarious Tamer Hassan enters the fray with his cockney rebel Wayne, uttering lines such as 'You Rat!' and carrying a cliched swagger around with him throughout.

The CGI doesn't offer much inspiration either - even with its low budget taken into consideration - as Rubik's cube-esque spacecrafts kept afloat by shoddy fire effects leave little to to be desired and even the robots themselves remain less than intimidating. There are moments of tension and excitement from these otherworldly beings but it all feels too reckless to remain an engaging outing, even within the short 90 minutes runtime.

Robot Overlords lies somewhere in between childsplay and young adult, with the target audience questionable, especially with its barrage of swear words and questionable characterisation. It's a bold move from a director who has been in the horror field previously, but one that doesn't quite pay off.