Unnerving AI movie compared to Black Mirror climbs Netflix chart

Daisy Phillipson
Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green) in Upgrade

An unnerving movie about artificial intelligence is climbing the Netflix chart, and it’s once again receiving comparisons to Black Mirror. 

Netflix has a whole roster of new movies and new TV shows to stream this month, but sometimes it’s the older titles that grab our attention. 

This is certainly the case for Upgrade, Leigh Whannell’s 2018 cyberpunk movie about an AI implant called STEM, and the unnerving consequences it has on its host, Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green). 

The film did well upon its release, earning nearly $17 million on a reported $3 million budget, as well as an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score from audiences and critics alike. 

Since landing on Netflix on May 16, Upgrade has raced to fourth spot on the streaming service’s top 10 movies chart. You can see the full list as it currently stands below:

  1. Madame Web
  2. Mother of the Bride
  3. Thelma the Unicorn
  4. Upgrade
  5. Shrek
  6. Dumb and Dumber To
  7. The Super Mario Bros Movie
  8. Shrek Forever After
  9. Anyone But You
  10. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Due to its narrative dealing with computer chips implanted into the brain alongside a warning against the dangers of AI, it’s no surprise Upgrade has sparked comparisons to Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror

“I just watched a movie called Upgrade on Netflix… Black Mirror type thing, but very interesting,” said one viewer on X/Twitter. 

Another wrote, “Upgrade felt more like a Black Mirror movie compared to the actual Black Mirror movie ‘Bandersnatch’ LEGIT.”

Similar sentiments were made when the movie first dropped, with one commenting on Reddit at the time that it has the “same concept as what happens if technology goes too far.”

“The wild journey as you follow the character Grey to get revenge for his wife’s death, and the implications it has for the end game,” they added. 

“It’s sincerely a fantastic movie, while watching you get to see the heavy influence that Black Mirror/Blade Runner has on the plot.”

Upgrade is streaming on Netflix now. If you’re looking for something fresh to watch, check out the new movies releasing this month. You can also check out everything we know about Black Mirror Season 7.