Movie Reviews

‘Implanted’ review: Sci-fi thriller takes on nanotech and the government

Kill or be killed.

October 1, 2021

Implanted is a psychological thriller that delves into science fiction horror. The movie follows a young girl named Sarah (Michelle Girolami). In order to help her struggling finances and her mother with Alzheimer’s, she participates in an experiment in which she will be implanted with the LEXX nanochip. The implant soon orders her to commit crimes leaving Sarah with few choices.

The story is straight and to the point. LEXX wants Sarah to kill those it perceives as threats. If she refuses, it will inflict pain upon her. There are targets and victims and if Sarah refuses, there is another LEXX controlled assassin (Ivo Velon) to finish up her incomplete work. As characters go, there are few others with any depth.

Implanted does try to tackle some deeper ideas along the way. It can serve as a metaphor for mental health, while it also deals with corporations taking advantage of consumers and the power of marketing. Unfortunately, nothing is fully explored. They are namechecked over the course of the film more than anything else. These topics seemed to be mentioned to give the formulaic plot more substance.

'Implanted' review: Sci-fi thriller takes on nanotech and the government

Still, the movie has enough going for it to stay interesting. It is topical in today’s world in a number of ways. Ever improving technology has been a constant source of fear in reality that has been used in fiction. The role the government plays in public health is also an ongoing issue. Implanted does not have any subtlety, but it is something audiences will understand.

The film is also well shot. It has a real dystopian feel and uses flashing lights and messages to give an idea of what the world is like. The technique also serves to show how tenuous Sarah’s hold on reality is. Michelle Girolami is tasked to hold things together and does an excellent job. Implanted is flawed, but it is a fun watch.