Hardware (1990)

I ue my descend into American cyberpunk cinema1. I spent my formative years watching Anime, art house and ignoring most of USA movies. This means I haven’t watched a lot of the cult movies out there.

Hardware is a 1990 movie about a killer robot in a post-nuclear world. Think of a mix of Terminator, Aliens and Short Circuit.

I heard of this movie years ago, but it seemed to be noting more than a cash grab after the success of Terminator - a movie which I don’t partially enjoy. After watching, I have to say that there was a of true in this assumption. But somehow I ended enjoying Hardware much more.

Not that the story is better - if anything, it is much simpler, or just plain simplistic. Say what you will about Terminator, but the basic premise was great. Hardware on the other hand doesn’t offer a great idea. This is a straight movie about a killer robot.

However, I enjoyed it more, as it is much closer to what Alien2 achieved The entire action is encapsulated in only a few, closed locations. Half of the runtime is spent in a single apartment, where the Mark-13 robot shows up from to time a try to murder someone. Much like the Nostromo!

This allowed the movie to be stunning visually. I loved every frame here! I know that most of the effect is based on fog and lighting, but I dig it! Just take a look at the gallery below.

Another thing which reminded me of Alien is how they handled the special effects of the monster. We see very little of Mark-13 - he is often hard to see, covered in darkness. From time to time we see his movements, and well. Hiding him was clearly a good idea… just like with the Xenomorph.

All in all, I enjoyed the movie. I’m not calling it one of my favorites, but I enjoyed every minute of its short runtime.

I give it a 3.5/5.

Red sky of postnuclear... summer?
Red sky of postnuclear... summer?
The Nomad.
The Nomad.
Nomad searching the desert for stuff for sale.
Nomad searching the desert for stuff for sale.
An ordinary store. Great vibes! Fun for the whole family.
An ordinary store. Great vibes! Fun for the whole family.
Same store, different view.
Same store, different view.
The perfect glasses.
The perfect glasses.
Seems like somene realy liked Jin-Roh.
Seems like somene realy liked Jin-Roh.
What posses as art now.
What posses as art now.
Computer we want but don't deserve.
Computer we want but don't deserve.
An art studio. Nothing out of the ordinary.
An art studio. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Remember when spirituality was cool?
Remember when spirituality was cool?
Let's give our murder-robot eyes from a camera lense. I'm sure no one will drop it.
Let's give our murder-robot eyes from a camera lense. I'm sure no one will drop it.
UI we all want.
UI we all want.
What lurks in the shadows.
What lurks in the shadows.
Yup, Jin-Roh.
Yup, Jin-Roh.
Yankee-Roh.
Yankee-Roh.
With some striking shadows.
With some striking shadows.
I have become bread, the destroyer of worlds.
I have become bread, the destroyer of worlds.
Prelude...
Prelude...
And the (most likely) last usage of a refrigerator as a safe place which makes any sense in the history of cinema.
And the (most likely) last usage of a refrigerator as a safe place which makes any sense in the history of cinema.
Yup, a hand.
Yup, a hand.
Hold the presses! The glasses are back! I repeat: the glasses are back.
Hold the presses! The glasses are back! I repeat: the glasses are back.
Mark-13 in all of its glory.
Mark-13 in all of its glory.
This is only a window, but what a window it is.
This is only a window, but what a window it is.
They have not used Wilhelm's scream. What a wasted opportunity.
They have not used Wilhelm's scream. What a wasted opportunity.
In 2024 those are rookie number when it comes to unnecessary lights inside a computer.
In 2024 those are rookie number when it comes to unnecessary lights inside a computer.
I am a sucker for this type of fish eye. Always reminds me of _City of Lost Children._
I am a sucker for this type of fish eye. Always reminds me of _City of Lost Children._
It doesn't get more era-apporiate than this.
It doesn't get more era-apporiate than this.
Ok, it does.
Ok, it does.
One of the few CGI moments here.
One of the few CGI moments here.
And one of _many_ lighting shots.
And one of _many_ lighting shots.
Look how black it is. Classy.
Look how black it is. Classy.
But does it run Quake?
But does it run Quake?
Back to the desert, like a fine sandwich.
Back to the desert, like a fine sandwich.

And a few nice gore sceenes which I won’t show it. This is a family-friendly website!

Links:

  1. I disagree with calling those movies “cyberpunk” as they lack the “punk” element… or most of “cyber”. No one rebels against the system, no one enters the cyberspace. But following this definition, I am not sure if we can call any movie other than Johny Menomic a Cyberpunk. Often we put all dark-sf into “cyberpunk” genre, which limits our ability to be pricks about it. ↩︎

  2. Aka “the clearly superior of the Alien series” ↩︎

Next: Johnny Mnemonic (1995), Up: American SciFi [Brain Rots]