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+++
title = "Hardware (1990)"
author = ["Michał Sapka"]
date = 2024-02-17T19:39:00+01:00
categories = ["brainrot"]
draft = false
weight = 3002
image_dir = "brain-rot/screenshots"
image_max_width = 765
primary_menu = "brain-rot-ascifi"
abstract = "My mirco reviview of a killer-robot thriller"
aliases = ["/brain-rot/hardware-1990", "/blog/2024/hardware-1990/"]
rating = 3.5
[menu]
[menu.brain-rot-ascifi]
weight = 3002
identifier = "hardware-1990"
+++
I ue my descend into American cyberpunk cinema[^fn:1].
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 _Alien[^fn:2]_ 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`.
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0001.jpg" >}}
Red sky of postnuclear... summer?
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0002.jpg" >}}
The Nomad.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0003.jpg" >}}
Nomad searching the desert for stuff for sale.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0004.jpg" >}}
An ordinary store.
Great vibes!
Fun for the whole family.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0005.jpg" >}}
Same store, different view.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0006.jpg" >}}
The perfect glasses.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0007.jpg" >}}
Seems like somene realy liked Jin-Roh.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0008.jpg" >}}
What posses as art now.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0009.jpg" >}}
Computer we want but don't deserve.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0010.jpg" >}}
An art studio. Nothing out of the ordinary.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0011.jpg" >}}
Remember when spirituality was cool?
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0012.jpg" >}}
Let's give our murder-robot eyes from a camera lense.
I'm sure no one will drop it.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0013.jpg" >}}
UI we all want.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0014.jpg" >}}
What lurks in the shadows.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0015.jpg" >}}
Yup, Jin-Roh.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0016.jpg" >}}
Yankee-Roh.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0017.jpg" >}}
With some striking shadows.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0018.jpg" >}}
I have become bread, the destroyer of worlds.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0019.jpg" >}}
Prelude...
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0020.jpg" >}}
And the (most likely) last usage of a refrigerator as a safe place which makes any sense in the history of cinema.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0021.jpg" >}}
Yup, a hand.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0022.jpg" >}}
Hold the presses!
The glasses are back!
I repeat: the glasses are back.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0023.jpg" >}}
Mark-13 in all of its glory.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0024.jpg" >}}
This is only a window, but what a window it is.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0025.jpg" >}}
They have not used Wilhelm's scream.
What a wasted opportunity.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0026.jpg" >}}
In 2024 those are rookie number when it comes to unnecessary lights inside a computer.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0027.jpg" >}}
I am a sucker for this type of fish eye.
Always reminds me of _City of Lost Children._
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0028.jpg" >}}
It doesn't get more era-apporiate than this.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0029.jpg" >}}
Ok, it does.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0030.jpg" >}}
One of the few CGI moments here.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0031.jpg" >}}
And one of _many_ lighting shots.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0032.jpg" >}}
Look how black it is. Classy.
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0033.jpg" >}}
But does it run Quake?
{{< /img-c >}}
{{< img-c "hardware-1990-0034.jpg" >}}
Back to the desert, like a fine sandwich.
{{< /img-c >}}
And a few nice _gore_ sceenes which I won't show it.
This is a family-friendly website!
Links:
- [Hardware on TVDB](https://thetvdb.com/movies/hardware)
- [Director's official website](https://www.theofficialrichardstanley.com/)
[^fn: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.
[^fn:2]: Aka "the clearly superior of the _Alien_ series"
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