'Archive' A Review

Archive is a scifi movie in the man-attempts-to-revive-deceased-loved-one-via-AI vein. George(Theo James) is a robotics engineer isolated in a remote facility in Japan working on AI technology. He has two prototypes J1, a boxy non-verbal AI, and J2(Stacy Martin), a humaniod verbal but still boxy AI, who assists him in his work. He's working on J3(also Stacy Martin) a "fully" human version in which he wants to upload the consciousness of his deceased wife(also Stacy Martin) held in a mainframe, the titular "archive". He faces opposition from his employer, an exceptionally vague entity, who he is lying to about his progress as well as the Archive company who becomes suspicious of his tampering with the unit. But all is not what it seems!

James is serviceable but either doesn't have the experience or talent to really give this roughly sketched grief-stricken mad-scientist much dimension. Martin is wonderful in her various interactions particularly in the heartbreaking conflict of J2, the character is well aware she is being replaced by an upgrade. But the muddled and messy story in which the actors inhabit doesn't allow either of them to really dig too deep into the interesting ideas that are brought up but never mined.

An absolutely gorgeous production design and a moody thrumming score create an immersive mood and look but they can only do so much. The problem is the narrative is mostly derivative, seemingly a composite of Ex Machina and Black Mirror episodes, and on top of that unclear as to it's focus. Is the issue pressure/observation from outside forces, is it the beautiful complex consciousness of J2(unfortunately no), or the perverse reversal of a loved one's untimely death. The movie never makes up it's mind and the "twist" ending is not only not a particular surprise it's unsatisfying as it invalidates the entirety of the movie proceeding it.

Ambitious but ultimately mundane. Currently available to rent on most VOD platforms.

Stream It.