By Kyle Osborne
If you’ve ever seen a movie with “Saw” or “Insidious” in the title since 2004, then you’ve seen the work of Leigh Whannell. Along with his producing partner, Director James Wan, Whannell has written and/or produced and, in some cases, directed films that have scared the bejeezus out of audiences around the world.
Whannell’s and Wan’s box office streak has made them a recognizable brand. Violent, R-rated “Saw” flicks have an almost cult-like following, and the PG-13 rated “Insidious” films rake in the bucks with wider audiences.
The new film “Upgrade” was both written and directed by the 41 year old family man, and it marks a bit of a departure for him. The sci-fi thriller is a cool mixture of “Six Million Dollar Man” meets “Death Wish.” Imagine Charles Bronson as a young, buff dude whose wife has been murdered before his eyes. Confined to a wheelchair as a quadriplegic, Grey Trace (Logan Marshall Green) is approached by a creepy billionaire who proposes to implant a super sophisticated chip that will not only give him his body back—it will make him stronger, faster (are you hearing the voice from the beginning of the old Six Million Dollar Man TV show?) than any “normal” human being alive.
Leigh Whannell and Kyle Osborne
Although there is some brilliant, cathartic violence in the film, it is not a horror movie, which brought up a question I had for the affable Aussie during a recent interview in a Washington, DC movie theater.
Kyle: You have become, and this is not a bad thing, it’s something many filmmakers aspire to, a “brand.” How do you keep from becoming trapped by your own success?
Whannell: I think it’s actors who are more often trapped in that way. At least with writing, you sort of get to dictate your own path. No one can stop you from writing a musical, if you wanted to. I don’t feel trapped. I feel like if I am someone who doesn’t want to be known for just horror films, then I need to go and make more than just horror films.
Kyle: And yet, there are people who’ve come to have a certain expectation when they see your name, and with “Upgrade” you’re going to turn some of those expectations on their head.
Whannell: Yeah! Hopefully, that’s the goal. That’s what I want to do with each new movie-you want to surprise people. The worst thing you can do is tread water creatively. I mean, a move from Horror to Sci-Fi is not a huge move—it’s not a Romantic Comedy, but it’s different enough that people who know my work, whoever they are, would think, “Oh, this is new!” I loved making it.
Kyle: I’ve been lucky to have interviewed guys like George Romero and Wes Craven….
Whannell: ..All the legends!
Kyle: Well, it’s almost become a cliché that some of the darkest, scariest movies are made by the sweetest, most normal guys…like you!
Whannell: (laughing) What’s interesting to me is there’s this inverse equation with comedians, whereas the Horror people are always relaxed and fun to be around. It’s often the comedians who are all dour and depressed. We make these films that are oppressive and assaultive, so that when we come back to our real lives, we’re just all smiles.
Kyle: Not to say that you don’t have a dark side.
Whannell: Exactly—we get all that darkness out in the open.
Leigh Whannell, Kyle Osborne and James Wan from 2011
I enjoyed the film very much. You can read my review of it below: