Title: Uncanny
RLJ Entertainment
Director: Matthew Leutwyler
Writer: Shahin Chandrasoma
Cast: Mark Webber, Lucy Griffiths, David Clayton Rogers and Rainn Wilson
Running time: 91 minutes
Rated: Unrated (Language, sex, partial nudity)
Special Features: Deleted Scenes
Available on DVD and Digital Video Nov. 3, 2015
Tech journalist Joy Andrews (Lucy Griffiths, True Blood) is given access to a high level security laboratory/apartment to interview the reclusive genius wunderkind David Kressen (Mark Webber, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World). David introduces Joy to his assistant Adam (David Clayton Rogers, Nashville). She immediately believes Adam to be some sort of autistic genius, and is almost horrified when David reveals Adam to be an android. Joy spends an entire 7 days interviewing both Adam and David, growing close to the latter. Meanwhile Adam is showing jealousy and a strange obsession with Joy. Joy in turn finds Adam repulsive and creepy. When David and Joy act on their attraction, Adam becomes violent towards his creator and the woman whom has come in between them.
The Good: The dialogue is very smart. The characters are likable. The one thing that many similar films is that they screw up this little detail: plausible technology. Some of them seem a bit far off, but will eventually get there in our lifetime. They referenced Mr. Fusion, which is quite timely. Writer Shahin Chandrasoma may actually know his subject matter. Rainn Wilson in his limited scenes hones a character that is like an amalgam of Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Gordon Gekko and I would’ve loved to see more. There is a bit after the end credits (a sort of reference to Demon Seed) that leaves the story open for a sequel.
The Bad: Joy’s dissertation on robotics is pretty amateur. It’s like they spent all their geek budget on the various android creations and felt an RC car and a laser pointer was adequate for someone not as advanced as David. Her character was to have dropped out of university right before she obtained her doctorate in robotics, and that’s the extent of her genius? Lame.
The DVD features some deleted scenes that really wouldn’t have added anything to the film. I would’ve liked a commentary to actually get some input from the director and writer. The story may have been a tad bit familiar, but was well executed. The simple low budget production gave room for intelligent dialogue with some humor and fun characters. Fans of sci-fi and robotics will have a good time.
Acting: B
Story: A
Technical: A
Total Rating: A-
Reviewed by: JM Willis
