Poor Frank. He doesn’t have it easy. New arms, some nasty scars and memories that aren’t completely his own. In a situation like this it would be best to have some alone time. Too bad he’s being pursued by a group of regenerated killers.

In this 2005 action/ horror/ sci-fi hybrid from Christopher Sharpe (written by Sharpe and John Oak Dalton) and Asphalt Planet you can see some real creativity and potential. With a roughly 8,000 dollar budget Asphalt Planet was able to create an interesting indie gem. There are some good shots featuring some interesting angles accompanied by very nice cinematography from Shogo Nakagawa (especially the scenes that have the retro-style oversaturated colors).

Evoking elements from modern action films, sci-fi movies of the past and a few doses of Mary Shelley for good measure. Sex Machine delivers a well paced film with hardly any filler. Those looking for a schlock fest will be disappointed as the film takes itself seriously and is the better for it.

When it comes to the acting aspect things are spotty but overall admirable for a first time feature. The lead, John Howell, is good in his role (if a little soft spoken) and fit’s the bill physically. The supporting cast including Jessica Alfrey as Frank’s girlfriend Claire and Sheridan Marquardt as his best buddy Owen do a decent job with their roles. Marquardt reminded me of Tom Arnold. A watered down and in shape Tom Arnold. Erika O’Bar (as one of the black clad agents) is more interesting once she cools down the tough girl act and Charlie Dickerson turns in a good performance as the requisite mad scientist.

That’s not to say that the film is without flaws.

After so much care was taken to make sure the film looked good the sound effects should have been on par. Unfortunately the same generic smacks and crunches we’ve heard before are used throughout along with an unnecessary sound effect for every time Frank opens his blade. The music was sometimes grating and/or repetitive but in most of the film it fits the mood.

There are a few moments in the film where a lot of information is revealed in a compressed amount of time. These scenes sound fine but the actors run through all of the lines barely taking a breath. Slightly distracting.

The digital effects are rough around the edges but still better than most DTV indie films that try to incorporate similar fx. The physical fx are good for the most part. Sometimes they aren’t as convincing (especially some of the scars) but overall decent. There are some nice close up scenes involving fx that looked quite good.

The few fight scenes that are in the film are poorly choreographed and could have used some tighter editing to sell the hits better. When the rest of the film flows as smoothly as it does the fight scenes cause a hiccup in the viewing experience.

In the end though these issues wind up being minor nuisances. If you can overlook the flaws you have a fun and entertaining flick. I commend the talented people who worked to bring something refreshing to the low budget arena. I’m looking forward to what they bring to the table next.



Presentation:
The DVD release by Anthem Pictures looks fine. There are some minor compression issues early on in the film (especially noticeable in the dark scenes) but overall the image looks crisp and colorful. The sound is decent but many times the music overpowers the dialogue which in certain scenes is already a little low.

Extras include a making of featurette that is fun to watch and it’s nice to see how much the people involved enjoyed the project. A commentary track from reveals a good wealth of information on the process of making the film and definitely of interest for those who enjoy it.



Overall:
The film is available on Netflix and Blockbuster online services. Rent it to see if you like it or buy it if it sounds like your cup of tea. Either way you will be supporting a talented group of movie makers!

Learn more about the film at www.sexmachinemovie.com .