It’s been over a year and a half since I first mentioned the film Cyborg: Deadly Machine. At the time, the filmmakers had just started to crowdfund the short with the hopes they could deliver on their promises. The trailer looked as if it could be something sci-fi and action fans could have a blast with. The time has finally arrived and the fifty-minute film is ready to be viewed, by anyone, for free, on YouTube. It’s available now, but is it worth your time?
The story, set in a post-apocalyptic future, follows Stacy, a resistance fighter who is trying to locate Alex Rayne, a simple chef who may hold the key to destroy the cyborgs created by Magnatron Corp., the ruling organization run by the machines. On their trail is the C-9000, the last Cyborg of his generation, and it will stop at nothing to destroy them and anyone else who may cross its path.
Masebrothers (Mathieu Cailliere, Sebastien Petitjean, and Jeremy Vazzoli) met their campaign goal (and then some) and were able to put together a picture that pays homage and has fun with films like The Terminator, Hardware, Nemesis, and more. Whatever their final budget may have been, every single penny was put use and it really looks spectacular. Cyborgs, lasers, spaceships, and ample amounts of bloody body parts are splashed all over the screen. The effects in this independently produced short look better than most anything you would find airing at any given time on the SyFy Channel. The action is very well executed. There’s a combination of hand-to-hand fighting, gunplay, and an insane amount of over-the-top gore. There’s plenty of humor sprinkled throughout, never taking itself too seriously, and always remembering to continuously wink at the audience just to remind them to continue having fun.
RELATED: 30 Years Later: ‘Hardware’ is Still an Unknown Gem
The film features a talented cast newcomers led by Dave Trix and Aurelie Aloy. The great thing about these two performers is that when you see them, you believe they’re action stars. Trix isn’t a Van Damme or Stallone type; he has a modest build but he carries himself as if he were. Aloy’s character is a combination of ’80s heroines like Ripley or Sarah Conner and she absolutely owns every moment she’s onscreen. The film is full of tough guy one-liners, and she delivers one of my favorites which is a homage to Army of Darkness.
The fun just never stops, the references keep rolling, and the action is in your face. Accompanied by brilliant synth music courtesy of Fixions and Meteor, the love these filmmakers have for ’80s science fiction and action is apparent in every single exciting shot. Throw in some animation and video games, they cover everything many of us held dear as children.
Cyborg: Deadly Machine is the best way you could possibly spend fifty minutes of your day. Available in French and English. Watch it now!
RELATED: ‘MXC’ is Now Streaming on Amazon Prime Video