Taylor Sheridan Star’s 10/10 Cyberpunk Sci-Fi Thriller Is Officially Netflix’s Ultimate Hidden Gem
Leigh Whannell's 2018 cyberpunk action thriller "Upgrade" has found a second life on Netflix, drawing bigger audiences via streaming than it ever achieved at the box office. Original science-fiction films without established franchise ties often struggle for visibility on release, but "Upgrade" has defied that pattern, earning a cult following that has grown since its cinema debut and now thriving as a hidden gem on the platform.
Set in a near-future world shaped by artificial intelligence, the film follows Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green), a mechanic left paralysed after a violent mugging that also kills his wife. A billionaire inventor offers him an experimental implant called STEM, granting him extraordinary physical abilities to pursue revenge and uncover a wider conspiracy. The cast includes Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, Melanie Vallejo, Benedict Hardie and Simon Maiden, with Whannell also known for directing "The Invisible Man".
- "Upgrade" (2018) is thriving on Netflix years after release
- Cyberpunk thriller follows a paralysed man seeking revenge via AI implant
- Directed by Leigh Whannell, starring Logan Marshall-Green
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Upgrade came out in 2018, made by writer-director Leigh Whannell, who is better known for horror and thriller work such as Saw and later The Invisible Man. It's a low-budget science-fiction action film imagining a near-future where artificial intelligence has advanced significantly, and it follows a man who is paralysed after an attack that kills his wife, then given an experimental technology that restores his movement and turns him into a formidable fighter as he investigates what happened.
The film performed modestly at cinemas on release, which is common for original sci-fi stories that aren't tied to an existing franchise or big-name IP, making them harder to market. It has since built up a dedicated fanbase over time, helped along by positive word of mouth among genre fans.
Its current relevance comes from its availability on Netflix, where streaming has allowed it to reach a much larger audience than it did in cinemas, turning it into an example of a well-regarded film that many viewers had previously overlooked.