Exploring the familiar theme of killer robots, Kill Command is an effective little science fiction movie. It features excellent both special and practical effects, just a notch down from big productions. Okay, maybe two or three notches down, but they’re still really good. The sound design was just pure perfection. From the weapon sounds to the robot’s voice everything was great. We follow a group of soldiers on a deserted island as they trying to escape from a group of killer robots. I really liked the design of the robots. They look realistic, believable, and above all menacing. Like something that might actually make it to the battlefield in a couple of decades and fuck shit up. Apart from these killbots, we also have an assortment of other futuristic military gadgets. Drones, weapons, and vehicles all added to the authenticity of the movie.
Kill Command is an entertaining action movie with robots that doesn’t pretend it’s something more. It offers great pacing, exciting shootouts, and just enough interesting concepts to keep you engaged. Since the action is happening in the forest with a bunch of army guys being chased by a superior enemy, Predator comparisons are inevitable. Moreover, even the intro features lines similar to his self-destruct timer. However, the way the lines appear is also similar to Aliens, along with a synth accompanying the soldiers. Not a bad company to be in at all. If only we had better script and storytelling and we would be looking at a cult classic. What we ended up with is a movie perfect for one or two viewings. Especially since the runtime is just ninety minutes.
Welcome to the world of tomorrow! It’s a world ruled by corporations and among them, the strongest one is the Harbinger. They are currently working on making robots that will replace human soldiers in combat. To test these machines, they use the Harbinger I Training Facility on a remote and deserted island. A group of soldiers is about to embark on a training mission, they’ve done a couple of times before. The AI of these robots is no match for human tactical and military skills. However, this time will prove to be different. And not just because the soldiers are accompanied by Katherine Mills, a cyborg observing the mission.
We already talked about the danger that the robots might pose in our Monsters of Man review. That movie featured a humanoid design while here we’ll be dealing with a whole different breed. When you add rogue AI and cyborgs to this, you get one hell of a mixture. You feel that Van Damme from the eighties is going to jump out from the bushes in the next scene. Although, I must say that I got this strong video game vibe throughout the movie. Complete with melodramatic twists and group dynamics. However, we also get the increasingly intense shootouts ending with a grand finale. And one scary-looking prospect of warfare in the future. Finally, if you’re looking for movies like Kill Command, check out Spectral, Chappie, Alita, and Screamers. And, as always, the Transformers franchise remains a good choice if you’re looking for some mindless fun.
Director: Steven Gomez
Writer: Steven Gomez
Cast: Thure Lindhardt, Vanessa Kirby, David Ajala, Mike Noble, Bentley Kalu, Tom McKay, Osi Okerafor
Fun Facts: The forest scenes were filmed near the village of Coldharbour in the Surrey Hills.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2667380/
