Automata' (2014) is a critically underrated and atmospheric science- fiction thriller in the same vein as 'I Robot' and 'Blade Runner'. It boasts excellent visual effects, as well as an engaging and intelligent story. While it borrows from other science fiction it does so successfully, especially the atmospheric and decaying world we're thrusts into from the beginning.

The story centers around Antonio Banderas's character, Jacq Vaucan - a world-weary insurance agent for a robotics corporation whose job is to investigate robots violating their protocols which are one: harming any form of life, and two: they can neither repair themselves nor alter another robot in any fashion. On the trail of a robot Vaucan discovers a robot stealing parts in an apparent attempt to alter itself. This leads him to the clock master - a fixer who may have just succeeded the second protocol.

Automata is a throwback to thoughtful science fiction. It's not for the feint of heart but if you're engaged and buy into the world and the premise then you'll be rewarded. The film surprised me in a lot of ways - especially for such a relatively small budget but imagery is fantastic and the effects are mostly practical, and built with little computer generated imagery save for some backgrounds and action scenes which make it that much more realistic.

It's slower and probably has less action but if we're comparing it to what it will inevitably be compared to, 'I Robot', Automata is a better movie. More thoughtful, grittier and executed a whole lot better visually. It's not a perfect flick by any means but it's worth watching and deciding for yourself.

7.5/10

I am myself to blame for only looking at IMDb ratings and the occasional movie trailer from the mall screens, but I still can't believe that this is not a movie that everyone is talking about. It's great!

A post apocalyptic movie made by Spain and Bulgaria, it shows an insurance agent (the only people who actually do any motivated detective work :) ) trying to find out what is going on with robots behaving strangely. Two laws are restricting said robots from harming people and from altering any robots and it appears someone has found away around these hardcoded rules.

The film reminded me of Blade Runner, obviously, but it went a slightly different direction, more akin to Sector 9. The gruesomeness of the dirty city and the violent slums outside it is clear and uncompromising - think Brazil meets Cidade de Deus. The acting is good, slightly overemotional in the case of Antonio Banderas - but he is Spanish, so we understand, and completely balanced by the coolness of the Blue Robot (Javier Bardem, lol). I couldn't really find a problem with the direction and the script was great!

So, bottom line: a wonderful film. It shows that it is not the highest budget movie in the world, but it more than compensates through story, details, acting and even casting. I thought McDermott's character was a very good one to explain the overall attitude of humans towards robots and it felt like they could have added some more to it. If you liked Blade Runner you will love this movie! See how a little European vision can change how a movie feels to you.

I watched this movie without any preconceived notions. In fact, I didn't even know what it was about. I was VERY surprised. Rarely does quality come out anymore. Most movies are all flash and no substance. This however was vastly different.

The movie has a lot of depth that makes you think. I wasn't so sure about casting Antonio Banderas in it however. He did fine, but I think it could had easily done as well or better with another actor. The end result is, however very well made. If you're looking for a Michael Bay film you will be disappointed however. I sincerely wish more movies like this were made. I know it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but it is different from the rest. You will be pleasantly surprised.

I really enjoyed this film. I didn't know anything about it before viewing and was pleasantly surprised. I found the plot interesting and the whole film had a fresh and classy feel to it. The locations it was filmed in gave it a very unique look and the directing was perfect in my opinion. Antonio Banderas gave one of the best performances i've seen recently in a sci-fi film and i hope he does more movies in this genre.

In parts it reminded me of a cross between Blade Runner and District 9, but with an identity of it's own. It didn't feel like a rip off movie and i would watch it again.

Give it a try, i think you'll enjoy it.

It was totally unexpected and refreshing to stumble upon a new sci-fi movie with unique character, and an interesting and gritty atmosphere created with the help of practical effects and good old-fashioned artistic vision. The robots and old technology, obsolete computers and oscilloscopes in the background were absolutely fun to see and this couldn't have been done with CG alone (something many studios are attempting to do on a regular basis now).

The movie could have benefited from a higher budget, and I'm sure the artists' vision could have been more fully realized that way, but I think they really have something to be proud of, and I hope to see more of their work.

The plot is good, could have been a bit deeper and developed a bit further. But it successfully creates an interesting world - one much better than, say, "I,Robot" (the movie). Some of the most sympathetic characters were the robots, which is not do diminish the work of the actual human beings here, but the character design and behavior of the protagonists was really believable. The antagonists, not so much. Contrast that with something like I,Robot and you can see that it's possible to make something far more original on a far tighter budget.

I really wish more movies were made with such passionate vision, instead of the Michael Bay CG roller-coaster rides being churned out each year now, as a tradition. I'm glad new authors are breaking the mold and making sci-fi interesting again.

When I first read the synopsis, I thought it would be an action movie, 'I, Robot', or something like that. But I was wrong... and I'm glad of it.

At first we have a brief explanation about what happened to earth(as we know it) and the robots protocols, but we understand it quite well, as it is very simple and objective... The movie begins with a scene that is a real punch in the face, and we get to see how the movie has a subjective plot. Then we face the fact that those protocols ain't working like they should... And there you are... Embarking with our protagonist, Jacq(Antonio Bandeiras), in a journey for answers. Those answers can be about the robots, as well as it can about us... So called human.

The movie has a slow pace and it develops in a different way than the average thrillers does... We watch a bunch of fight scenes and gunshots, but it ain't the point of the movie, those are consequences of the journey itself.

The score is for times absent, but it doesn't make it bad... When we hear it is great, it gives the movie so much heart... It's incredible.

The acting isn't so great... You can doubt the characters frequently, as you can't relate to them frequently, as well, and it's completely understandable.

At the end there's this feeling that the movie could be really more than it really is, there was so much potential... The movie isn't bad, it is awesome, but sometimes it just lacks character(and it incredibly comes from the human ones).

If you haven't watched this: Go ahead, it's amazing.

"Dying is a part of the human natural cycle. Your life is just a span in time."

9 of 10. This will remind you of Blade Runner in a harsher, still Earth-based world, testing out how a variation on Asimov's I, Robot rules can both work and be circumvented.

Because it doesn't extend technology as far beyond the present day, it has a more realistic feel to it. It also helps that it integrates everyday big-business into the plot. You can see the influence of not only Blade Runner, but Fight Club and Wall-E.

This could be a non-animated, adult prequel to Wall-E. It lacks the more technical, advanced cyberpunk of the Ghost in the Shell films, which like Blade Runner, seem a lot less dystopic relative to Automata.

Where this lacks is in the acting/casting along with the storyline originality, but never enough to get in the way of the story as a whole. Like any great story, you only wish it had been longer revealed more of the world it takes place in.

It cannot be coincidence that films concerning the integration of humanity and artificial intelligence, including this film Automata, Transcendence, Doomsday Book, Ghost in the Shell Arise, and the Machine, alongside future titles, Ex Machina, Chappie and the next Terminator installment, are been released after Dr. Stephen Hawking discussed how AI is the greatest potential threat to humanity, while at the same time, Dr. David Levy predicts that by 2050, machines will not only be our friends and acquaintances, but potential spouses too.

Back in the late 1980s and early 90s, movies including Hardware and Nemesis, depicted the advancement of man and machine with less than positive results, making for graphically violent features. Similar to films from the past, Automata is not an action film, regardless of the trailer's depiction, and is more film noir. Part Blade Runner, part I, Robot, but still different than either, Automata does contain both violent and sexual content, but these aspects are in minimal supply when in contrast with the other themes explored.

Jacq Vaucan (Antonio Banderas) works for the largest robot manufacturer in the world, his job being to ensure that all robots abide by the strict guidelines they are mandated to follow. Those that attempt to become more human, by having their design augmented by a Clock-Smith, are immediately subject to termination. Unlike other protagonists, Vaucan is not the stereotypical, plucky hero, and is instead forced into a situation that demands action. In a dire, post-apocalyptic world, where few people it seems do the right thing, Vaucan is forced to take a stand.

Other actors, like Dylan McDermott as Sean, and Robert Forster as Bold have smaller roles, and were potentially cast because they are known quantities, however it is potentially Melanie Griffith as the voice of robot Dupre, who is most interesting, her voice helping to provide not only life, but humanity to her character.

Although the story is not as fast paced as other science fiction films of today, the effects are truly beautiful, and provides sustenance to the non-organic characters. A story of survival, moral-bankruptcy, commitment, understanding and evolution, Automata is one of those few intelligent features that makes us question our place in the world, and whether we as humans truly deserve to inherit whatever future may await us. Although the ending is not entirety conclusive, we acquire enough information to adequately summarize how the characters and their journeys may continue after the film comes to a close.

Banderas' attempt at a sci-fi flick has great potential but it ultimately falls flat.

It's not because of the story. Although the trailer makes it clear that we're dealing with a recycled idea from Asimov's universe (robots that become more human than some humans), the movie barely scratches the surface of the issues at hand and chooses a middle path between a serious deep movie and an action flick and fails at both.

Banderas' character is the only one that interesting and it's easy to follow him and his point of view all the way from a corporate lackey to a guy involved in some ethical dilemmas. He acts well, way better than the movie average.

The first problem is that there aren't any other well-drawn characters. Everyone else is flat, starting from his family, his boss and his opponents. To call them one-dimensional is giving them too much credit, I would say they are soulless and at some point I was really hoping for them to just die and leave us with the robots and Banderas. I can't fault the actors much, it's the script that didn't give them any chance.

The second problem is the plot. Although the story has potential, the plot fails at acquiring it. It won't take long to see that at some point the actions of the 'bad guys' really stop making sense, they are there just as a really poor excuse for some lame attempts at action sequences (I'm not going to detail this as to not give spoilers, suffice to say that the main pretext for the confrontation between the bad guys and Banderas is not necessary at all, if you stop to think about it for a minute given the situation of the humans in the movie and whatnot).

The last one is the soundtrack. It's absolutely atrocious and the sound doesn't fit with the images at all, especially the music sequences.

I will admit that the movie is entertaining for the most part. But that's it. It wastes an amazing potential, fails to explore itself and just throws some lines and some action at you that lacks logic, common sense and characters (save for Banders and the robots).

The very real paranoia of man being replaced by machine was tackled here with something not seen since Asimov...heart. Yes, heart. Unlike the malevolent machines from Terminator or The Matrix sagas, we see machines that want only to "live". Jacq Vaucan is caught in the very real, and yet surreal, dilemma of a man who at the surface seems to have to choose between his species, and the machines. And yet, the only choice is life. The symbol of the turtle recurs throughout the film, as a n avatar of what, exactly? Maybe the city,like a shell from the hostile world? The notions in a human mind, sheltered from a new reality? The image of Jacq, revolted by the automatons scavenging a fallen comrade {"vultures! They're vultures!"), only to be doing the same thing himself to a fellow human (while crying over the horrific irony of it), will stick with me for a long time. This was an excellent movie, a true science fiction work. For all of the best science fiction is, at it's heart, a study in humanity. Oh, and I liked the homage to HAL 9000 at the end. The music box playing "Daisy, daisy..." Bravo!

daisy daisy turtle vultures

An interesting premise is the key to a quality sci-fi film, and this is something Automata most definitely has. Set in a dystopian, Blade Runner-esqe future where much of the world has been rendered uninhabitable and the remainder of humanity lives in bleak, isolated cities, robots do most of the menial tasks in society. These robots are governed by two unalterable protocols, they cannot harm living beings, or alter themselves or any other robot. When Jacq (Antonio Banderas), a robot insurance claims agent, is sent to investigate a robot which a junkie cop (Dylan McDermott) shot when he saw it repairing itself, he uncovers more and more questions surrounding the robots and their ability to think and develop.

Unfortunately, that is around where the film stops really making sense. Around a third of the way into the film, Jacq is driven out of the city into the wasteland and all character behaviors from just about everyone become puzzling. A series of characters whom you don't really care about make decisions that just don't make sense working towards a finale that simply makes no sense given everything they had told you so far. A complete lack of any notable acting and inconsistent direction fail to save a film that had tons of promise, but completely lacked a second and third act.

The obvious comparison is I, Robot so lets get the comparison out of the way first. The budget is much more meagre here and the lack of mega effects is obvious. The effects they do they do well so the smaller sum was spent wisely. The second obvious comparison is Blade Runner. This film uses similar settings and mood and there's nothing wrong with that. It's not remotely in the same league as Blade Runner but few films are.

Where the film comes up short is the main character is a weak one. An insurance assessor is hardly the most exciting of jobs and Antonio Banderas makes no effort to enhance the traditional concept of such a character. The supporting actors do no better a job of bringing the film out of the ordinary. In fact their efforts border on cartoon-like at times. It's the robots that keep the film going, in the absence of any leadership from the human contributors, though their desire to escape to the desert is something that puzzled me. For a technological entity I would expect that a city is the only place they can survive long term.

One minor point is that any sci-fi fan knows there are three laws to robotics so if you are intending to challenge such a strongly entrenched theory you need to demonstrate as good a grasp of the subject as Asimov. Most viewers wouldn't spot such a point but any sci-fi buff will. The story makes a reasonable case for it's second law, the breaking of which is the central thrust of the film so I'll let the challenge pass.

It's a reasonably well told story flawed with weak characters and poor supporting acting. I gave it a six because I'm a sci-fi fan but if you're not then it's probably a five.

In 2044, solar storms have killed 99.7 % of the population of the world and only 21 million-people survive. The ROC Corporation has designed and built robots called Automata Pilgrim 7000 to help to rebuild the world. These robots have two security protocols and they can neither harm humans nor altering itself or other robot.

When police officer Sean Wallace (Dylan McDermott) shots a robot and claims that it was altering itself, insurance agent of ROC Jacq Vaucan (Antonio Banderas) is in charge of the investigation. Soon he believes that there is a "clocksmith" illegally modifying the robots. Jacq wants to live in the coast and asks his boss and friend Robert Bold (Robert Forster) to transfer him with his pregnant wife Rachel Vaucan (Birgitte Hjort Sørensen) to the coast. Robert offers the possibility since Jacq resolves the case.

Jacq and Wallace go to a brothel where the modified robot Cleo attends and Wallace shoots its leg, expecting that the owner lead them to the clocksmith. They meet Duprè (Melanie Griffith) but she is not the clocksmith that is modifying the robots. Soon Jacq discovers who is the responsible for modifying the robots but the Powers that Be in ROC believe that Jacq is the one to be blamed.

"Autómata" is a messy, pointless and boring sci-fi that in an environment of "Blade Runner" and "Hardware". The plot has a promising beginning with a dystopic futuristic society, but becomes tedious going nowhere with unpleasant one-dimension characters. The ROC Corporation looks like a mafia and not a high tech company. The music score is completely inadequate for the movie. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "Agente do Futuro" ("Agent from the Future")

In the trailer, this movie had it all, a very solid cast, a very solid budget and an interesting story. After watching it, everything in the movie falls short, problem being central plot. After you reach the end, makes no sense at all.

The characters fell flat in every dimension, except Forster and his relationship with main character. The wife, or I should say 'token pregnant wife' is there to give you some insight in the life of Vaucan but no matter how you try, you cannot connect to her plight. Only reason her being there is for the bad guys to take her hostage at the end and.

The central story is the ripoff of Three Laws of Robotics, while the story revolves about robots being prohibited to modify themselves. And of course, they do modify themselves and evil company that built them tries to kill them and everyone who found this out.

The movie tries to ask interesting questions about free will, but that in the end falls flat, because the main motive of the robots was finding a battery so they can build another robot (for what reasons, it is not explained, not is its shape) and escape into the nuclear wasteland.

Skip it.

I thought this would be a bad movie because of Griffith and Antonio but it is a pretty decent movie. Yes, it is an iRobot theme movie in that the robots become self-aware but that is it. The acting is pretty good, a little gritty but definitely worth watching.

There were scenes where the acting by Antonio was really well done where you feel the character's frustration. At least, Antonio's character isn't a retired Black Ops guy or a super-cop rather he is a regular Joe tired with life getting caught up is some craziness.

With so many bad sci-fi movies out this year and last, this is pretty decent and worth watching. Also, checkout Cargo a sci-fi from Germany back in 2009.

Careful marketing goes into the release of a movie, and the descriptions given of the story carry an obvious air of Blade Runner, creating an interest in people like myself. Credit should be given where it is due, and the visual effects and production design in this film are excellent. There is even a persistent plausibility to the world as it is presented, until, that is, it falls to pieces.

For example; the world as it appears, is burning up, its oceans evaporating and people retreating into shelters of man-made walls and weather. Strangely, there is an abundance of paper as businesses are portrayed as operating close to the standards of the mid nineteen- nineties, complete with communicators similar to the original blackberry.

The plot becomes caught between telling the story of the protagonist, and telling the story behind what he has discovered. In this case, despite the believable acting of Antonio Banderas, characters and dialogue often fight to tell differing stories. Whole scenes are concocted to further the plot, while sacrificing any sense of plausibility. People take completely nonsensical actions, in order to stage a circumstance that ultimately loses any credibility as a result. The end picture is that the viewer can see the twists coming far before they are revealed, stripping them of any significant impact. Other characters are so demonstratively shallow that the viewer is likely to cringe whenever they are on film. Other characters will leave you mourning the fact they didn't get more screen time.

Final Verdict: A somewhat passable story, beautifully illustrated, but poorly assembled makes this a less than memorable experience.

It's astonishing that someone can spend 15 million dollars on a movie (allegedly) and not spend 15 hours tightening up the script. At best the scenarios here feel vague and unconvincing.

So here goes: Why does Vaucan wander casually out into the border territory when moments before he was told that guards shoot everyone on sight? He even witnessed someone shot and killed there!

Why is the corporation so determined that Vaucan is their prime suspect when there is so little evidence to support the idea? This is a big concept in the film, and it never feels convincing.

Why does the big hi-tech and powerful corporation (powerful enough to apparently have an entire insurance branch within the company) send out a handful of thugs with shotguns in a truck to sort out what is (apparently) a crisis threatening the future of mankind? And why do they hire (apparently) a couple of street kids to kill Dr Dupre? Weird.

Why does the robot jump off the cable car, miss the platform and fall to its doom in the canyon? I didn't get that at all.

Who actually modified the bio-kernels? Was that ever explained? Why develop and pursue the mystery of the inviolable protocol throughout the movie, only to have a robot reveal finally that "it just happened"?

Why are the robots so keen to live in the middle of nowhere. Don't they need a power source? Metals and materials to scavenge? (Yeah I know they have a "nuclear battery", but still, didn't feel convincing to me).

Why is this a future where robotic brains are bordering on artificial intelligence, yet mankind hasn't yet invented the internet? Why are they using fax machines? It felt very odd.

These are just a few items that caught my attention...

Despite all this the movie is still does pretty well on "atmosphere" alone, especially in the first third. Worth a watch!

Greetings from Lithuania.

"Autómata" (2014) isn't anything really special, but it will do justice for one evening if you like sci-fi stories. The opening 20 min of "Autómata" is nothing short of brilliant, reminding "Blade Runner" type world with superb visuals and set design. Later, if falls down a bit, becoming a sci-fi thriller with only on setting. Nevertheless, i was intrigued in the process during whole picture, and if you are sci-fi fan, i can absolutely recommend "Autómata" for you, you won't be disappointed and you won't be disappointed even less, knowing that there aren't many movies from this genre in recent years. Performances are OK, Antonio Banderas is good in here, but you have to see Melanie Griffith - you won't going to believe how bad her performance was. It looks like she simply can't act naturally anymore. For one moment i actually though that she forgot she is acting and just steered at her husband in real life, really, it was that bad. Can't believe that this is an actress that once was nominated for the lead role of the year.

Overall, "Autómata" is really enjoyable sci-fi flick. If you like the genre, you will like this picture.

I just left the movie at the Zurich Film Festival and have a sour taste in my mouth. Having seen the trailer, I expected a science-fiction movie with a solid plot but was massively disappointed.

Apparently, post-apocalyptic thrillers don't come cheap, so perhaps there wasn't enough left over from the "Automata" budget to pay for a decent script writer. The story is told quickly - set in the near future, when a vastly reduced mankind is assisted by robots that suddenly become self-sufficient. While the movie heavily borrows from flicks like "Blade Runner," "Terminator" and countless others, it unfortunately never creates a character of its own.

When Automata comes to its long awaited ending, the viewer is left with plenty of plot holes. Unfortunately, these won't be filled anytime soon, possibly because the writers themselves don't seem to know. Instead, they've chosen elements from other dystopian films and put them clumsily together, uncertain how to build character or logic beyond basic outlines.

It's safe to say that you can skip your money on this one!

What a terrible waste of time. And that's coming from someone who would usually watch anything. Being a fan of sci fi and Banderas, they really made an effort to disappoint me.

Plot is unclear and lacks creativity. It feels like they borrowed random bits of random sci-fi movies (Blade Runner, A.I. and I, Robot come to mind) and just jumbled them together into a boring mess.

And if you went in for the action, CGI or scenery, you'll be sorely disappointed.

Good guys are pure good. Bad guys are completely bad and a little too trigger happy for a future with a small human population. What a waste of Tim McInnerny's talents, especially with that awful accent.

Nothing new and exciting about this. Couldn't wait for it to be over and wish I had missed it.

Gabe Ibañez's second movie , stunningly directed , dealing with a futuristic world in which society is robotized . Set in a grim , gritty 21th century in the ¨1984¨ moody vein , it describes the automatism and slavery of a robotic future whose terrifying vision comes to life . Thirty years in the future , mankind struggles to survive as the environment deteriorates . Mankind lives over a wasted Earth , a black future , solar flares make the earth surface radioactive , killing many people , there are lifelike androids carry out hardship works . Technology combats the prevailing uncertainty and fear with the creation of the first quantum android , the Automata Pilgrim 7000 . Roc corporation has set forth security protocols to ensure mankind maintains control over the manufactured population . An agent , Jacq (Banderas) , works as an insurance claim checker for the company that makes the robots , 'ROC' ; as he surveys their primary protocols against altering themselves . Jacq is married to Rachel Vaucan (Birgitte Sørensen) , a beautiful pregnant woman . Jacq's friend Robert Bold (Forster) tells him that there might be someone , a Clocksmith , who somehow succeeded to alter the second protocol and who is really manipulating the Automata Pilgrim 7000 . Jacq shares this with Wallace (Dylan McDermott), he brings him to a brothel with robots as prostitutes . As he begins to uncover the secrets behind and the truth is far more complex than the make or model of any machine . When Jacq shares that he need to contact a Clocksmith , the cop shoots at the hostess robot Cleo , saying it will lure Cleo's Clockmaster . Vaucan is subsequently helped by Cleo , the feminine blue-haired robot in his search for the mysterious "Clocksmith" that repair robots . Jacq meets Cleo's Clockmaster , Dr. Dupre (Melanie Griffith , she is also the voice of Cleo) . What he discovers will have profound consequences for the future of humanity . As he finds himself stuck in a rebellion that can lead an unsettling future . His time is coming to an end . Ours is now beginning .

Dystopian , ambitious as well as imaginative story which a futuristic , state-run society controlled by a superior intelligence and it packs a polemic denounce to totalitarianism . It is a rendition about a workmanlike robotized world based on an interesting screenplay from Gabe Ibáñez , Igor Legarreta and Javier Sánchez that captures the desolation and misery within a terrible future life . The flick has a hefty tome on the philosophy of life , mingling most of the action , stir in a loving story between Banderas and his lover ; all of them removing and you will have a fine picture . This thoughtful and provoking as well as visually breathtaking film boasts intelligent robots , vicious humans and a trick ending that is intriguing and unique . This Sci-Fi film contains fantasy , drama , tragedy , brooding issues and results to be pretty interesting . It is an exciting film though relies heavily on the automatized robots and on a Roc insurance agent who investigates cases surrounding defective androids . A splendid movie about robots , domination , love and dark future , it has more than its share of beauty , mysteries and wonders . This good picture takes parts here and there from "THX 1138" by George Lucas , ¨Blade Runner¨ by Ridley Scott ¨A.I.¨ by Steven Spielberg , and ¨Isaac Asimov's I Robot¨ . And the rendition of Daisy Bell is reminiscent of the song sung by HAL , as he was being shut down in ¨Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey¨ . Impressive as well as evocatively atmospheric production design has been rendered with meticulous attention to period detail . Nice acting by Antonio Banderas as Jacq Vaucan , an insurance agent of ROC robotics corporation who investigates cases of robots violating . He is a tragic figure who dares a totalitarian society and a possible future dominated by robots . Here reunites Antonio Banderas with Melanie Griffith after Two Much (1995) . Though they work together ¨Crazy Alabama¨ (1999) , Banderas was director , not actor , therefore they didn't share a scene. Banderas and Griffith fell in love on the set of ¨Two Much¨ , marrying in 1996 until their recent divorce in 2015 .

Adequate as well as strange musical score by Zacarías M. de la Riva , adding many of the electronic sound effects . Mesmerizing , miraculous and state-of-art special effects , spiced with mechanical robots and other marvelous artifacts . Glamorous and luxurious cinematography by Alejandro Martínez . The motion picture was well produced by Sandra Hermida , Milennium Pictures and the same Antonio Banderas with his company : Green Moon . The motion picture was elegantly directed by Gabe Ibáñez at his best , as he considers to be one of the greatest achievements of his career and being his second film ; formerly making various shorts . In 1992, he joined the field of digital post production , where he worked as 3D artist and visual effects supervisor in film and advertising for 8 years . Gabe is an expert on the study and development of computer generated image , this is very well showed in ¨Automat¨ . Since 2000, he has worked as commercial director , and in 2001, he founded User T38, a company dedicated to digital preproduction and post production . In 2006, he directed his first short film ¨Máquina¨ or ¨machine¨ that was awarded Clermont Ferrand's Special Jury Award in 2007 . In 2008 he directed his first feature film, ¨Hierro¨ , released in the International Critic's Week at the Cannes Film Festival 2009 . ¨Automat¨ is a superior science-fiction movie that will appeal to cinema buffs and interested in to watch an example of the kind of work filmmaker Gabe Ibañez .

This film is what Blade Runner tried to be. I have watched a lot of post apocalyptic sci-fi films and this one by far seems to have not only the heart and utter demoralizing despair, but also that faint glimmer of hope for the future.

The story is about robots and how sometimes despite how much we build in failsafes, nature finds a way to circumvent even the best laid plans. I watched this practical effects driven film and took note of all the various characters. Some were acted better than others, but that's because some of the people were new, or haven't been in front of a camera for a long time.

What I think this movie will do, is get people to talk about the future if it is widely released. Only a few people will understand it, but that's because this movie was made for smart people, not morons. This isn't a film about Transformers. This movie is about what happens when machines start making decisions for themselves.

It is also excellent social commentary. I encourage everyone to watch it. If you can't enjoy it for the cerebral nature of the film, then enjoy it for the effects work which was beautifully done.

From the opening scenes, this looks like bladerunner. This gets a 10 just for being reminiscent of that movie . This...is awesome. Then the cop goes and blows that robots head off. Then the classical music starts. So good. Then he has to go and audit a robot insurance claim.. Because they said the robot killed their family unit... (dog) hahahaha. What a scam man! Dancing is mathematical! If you can count, you can dance. Daylight will not be visible until 12:00 pm. Omg, it's time for a robot autopsy. This is ground-breaking science fiction. Homeless robots. Prostitute robots. I guess robots can start to feel like slaves too. Never thought about that before. Also, full marks for not making the robots CGI. Perfect.

Good script, if very evocative of Blade Runner at the start. It starts very well and lays out the plot line fairly quickly. It then runs on smoothly into the slums outside the city. Banderas's character, Jacq Vaucan, tries to track down the person who has managed to break the robots protocols. Eventually, encountering Melanie Griffiths character, Dr. Dupre. Unfortunately, Melanie Griffiths role was more a cameo than something she could get her teeth into. A real shame that the script disposes of her character so quickly. Jacq Vaucan is a world weary, burnt out and disillusioned man. It is the robots who begin to reawaken his humanity. Overall, very much worth watching, but it is over long by at least 20 minutes. A more ruthless editor could have perhaps made this a better film. Still an unexpectedly reasonable little gem for sci-fi fans.

I have no idea why people are comparing this $hit film to Blade Runner in any way shape or form, apart from the fact that their are huge hologram ads in the city and its raining in some scenes?

Banderas is absolutely pathetic in this. What a weak character and performance.

So, robots that serve man kind suddenly become self aware for whatever reason, (I really didn't give a toss why, as it was so boring,) and they pose a huge threat to mankind....Jesus Christ this film sucked.

The robots look ridiculous and move at the speed of a snail. The only scene that was entertaining was the dead sausage dog. That rebel robot must have gotten fed up with its barking and cleaning up its poo.

What about the sunglasses wearing cop? Was he a cartoon character? He acted like an angry 5 year old.

I don't even want to review this awful film any further, I will just say save you money and time and just do not bother watching it, its so bad I could class it as a cheap budget B movie that goes nowhere.

Another crap film of 2014.