Rent Archive (2020)

Intelligent and involving sci-fi - Archive review by Alphaville

Despite the spoiler on the DVD sleeve, this is an intriguing sci-fi thriller that really works. Theo James lives in a remote research facility in the woods (beautifully filmed in a snowbound Hungarian landscape), where he builds increasingly human-like robots. He has three, with ages equivalent to 6, 16 and adult. The 16yo is one of the most fascinating AI creations since HAL. Teenagers!

Add to this a number of other interesting ideas, including the title notion of being able to “archive” a consciousness after death and there’s plenty here to keep the mind occupied as well as the eye and ear (a terrific electronic score by Steven Price).

If you’re expecting something as hidebound as Moon (on which Archive director Gavin Rothery was designer), prepare to be startled. This is wonderfully visual sci-fi that bears comparison with Silent Running. Only in the middle section do you begin to wonder if it’s beginning to run out of ideas, but then it winds up again to a brilliant ending that will stay with you.

Avoid tell-tale trailer if possible.

Painfully slow - Archive review by RW

If they edited out the endless drone shots over endless woodland and all the artistic pregnant pauses then I could maybe be entertained by thirty minutes of jealous robots stamping their wheels. Nonsensical twist at the end just to top off the frustration.

This will become a true cult classic - Archive review by Moppis

A truly amazing achievement by all concerned.  Every chapter of it's transition kept me enthralled.  It's amazing what a handful of accomplished actors can achieve. The creator of the voice of Robot 2 alone should receive some sort of award.  A combination of subservient, friendliness and sexy all rolled into one.  I send thanks to all those involved in this enterprise for a most enjoyable evenings viewing. 

A film to end an acting career.. - Archive review by CS

There's not much to like about this film and to be honest if you do watch it, you'll soon be reminded of another film sharing pretty much the same storyline, 'Ex Machina'. Whilst quite ground breaking at the time that film had quite a dark undertone which left the viewer feeling somewhat depressed. The same can be said for Archive, the storyline is weak and a poor attempt to copy something we've already seen right down to the similarity in the location it's filmed. Quite frankly Theo James was the only thing worth watching in this film but why he would risk his career on something so low budget is beyond me. The rest of the film had me grinding my teeth in despair!! Complete rubbish in my opinion but hey, some people are more easily pleased.

Well worth a look - Archive review by jb

This is excellent !!! one of the best sci-fi films i have seen for quite a while and very intriguing the concept of transferring human consciousness into A.I intelligence is a long

conceived thought " God knows " if this will ever become possible just imagine robots that will out live us !!! as in universal time we have a short time on Earth some live a very

short life indeed due to disease but a "machine" this has endless possibilities and the day of the "Terminator" may one day become a reality .Wonderful film.

Much to enjoy but a weak central theme - Archive review by PD

This very entertaining 'sci-fi' piece stars Theo James who is very impressive as George Almore, an obsessive robotics specialist living in a remote security facility whole he works on an AI project. There's many highly intriguing elements, including impatient bosses, eerie operatives, security issues and whatnnot, but especially George's relationship with his 'companions' J1 and J2, robot prototypes for the supposed goal - to develop an AI sophisticated enough to process senses and experience emotions. The sections involving George's interaction with J2, in particular, are wonderful - J2 clearly feels emotions such as loneliness, jealousy, need for affirmation etc (the drop of J2's metal head communicates a surprising amount of teenage-like interior pain which is very touching indeed) but George turns a blind eye to these, given that she's just a means to an end.

Unfortunately, however these fascinating threads are largely abandoned in favour of another, much weaker unifying theme. For needless to say, George's real goal is a different one, and it doesn't take us long to work out what it is - and therein lies the film's main problem, with all the interest generated by the other elements being sidelined in favour of it, and whilst the twist-plot ending certainly comes as a surprise for me it's all a bit of let-down given what came before. For me, the director has therefore successfully assembled a fantasy world with a strong convincing cast, but the ideas raised - what people owe their children, the limits of our control over others' lives, the sacrifices that come with love, are largely buried. That said, it's beautifully made and highly watchable, with some great moments.

A good film but lacking the wow factor - Archive review by Dicci

A well made film similar in style to Moon and Ex Machina. Although a sci-fi film, there is plenty here for those not normally a fan of the genre. Asks a couple of interesting philosophical questions, consent after death and treatment of AI, but doesn't really go into them. Would have been a 4 star film if I hadn't realised the plot twist after about a third of the film which ruined the suspense.