Skip to main content

The Devil's Machine (Automata)-- My take on the movie with spoilers!


PLOT SUMMARY: Dr Brendan and his stepdaughter Rose are invited to research a cursed clockwork doll. Soon Dr Brendan finds the truth about the doll and realizes he may just be the doll's next victim. 


If you're looking for a movie that will give you the experience of a theatre play, then this is the movie for you.

Also known as Automata, you will be taken back to a bygone era, where there used to be battles, soldiers with muskets and attached bayonets, men in powdered wigs, and their peculiar taste in automata...at least according to the movie.

Yes, it is implied that the soldiers and generals liked to play with dolls in their free time.

And if they can move on their own, that’s even better.

But this is a horror movie, and a moving doll can only spell trouble.

THE DEVIL'S MACHINE/ AUTOMATA Movie Plot 

After a peculiar battle scene, we are introduced to a stepfather and stepdaughter: Dr Brendan Cole and Rose.

Dr. Brendan has written a book on the Inferno Princess, the clockwork doll who is thought to be cursed. He is invited to detect the authenticity of a doll found in the mansion where the General who ordered the creation of the doll lived.

Dr Brendan conducts a few tests and yes, the doll moves her hand when she is offered a rose. She also has an imprint behind her neck. Everything seems to check out, except both stepfather and stepdaughter are plagued by nightmares and visions of a laughing general standing in front of green smoke.

He later also stands near red smoke so supposedly the colors imply his emotions. He’s jealous at first, then enraged. Why?

THE DEVIL'S MACHINE/ AUTOMATA Ending Explained with Spoilers! 

Apparently, the General had a less than an innocent relationship with his daughter. He used to whip her with the belt and when he finds that one of his men is having an affair with his daughter, punishes her by mutilating her and putting her inside the doll.

Yes, that is the horror part of the movie. The clockwork doll isn’t a doll but a human being stuffed inside. Once her tongue is cut out, her lover no longer cares for her and she apparently becomes deranged.

But this isn’t revealed until the end. Until then, Brendan and Rose are possessed and harbour illicit feelings.

Eventually, the truth is revealed in a drawn-out climax where the General does little but laugh maniacally against a backdrop of colorful smoke.

The soldiers from past dance around and there are more colorful lights.

Brendan and Rose finally manage to break the doll’s head, revealing a skull underneath.

They think they are free from the curse of the  Inferno Princess, but this is a horror movie.

As they are about to leave, Brendan is shown a vision where Rose is shot by a ghost. He understands that if he doesn’t stay behind with the clockwork doll, Rose will be killed.

He makes the ultimate sacrifice and lets Rose go while the clockwork doll emerges from the background.

In all honesty, I thought the story would have been better suited for a play than for screen.

The horror bits are mild but the twist with the General’s daughter being the clockwork doll was both tragic and spooky.

An interesting type of cinema but with bland horror scenes.

Scare scale: 2.5/5

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Limehouse Golem- My take on the movie with spoilers!

PLOT SUMMARY: When Elizabeth's husband is found dead, all fingers point to her. But is it really her or the work of a serial killer? If like me, you’ve read hundreds of mysteries and are enthused about Sherlock Holmes tales, THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM is actually pretty predictable. Set in the Victorian Era, it promises to instil fear in you. Before Jack the Ripper, there was Golem- such is the tagline and you do want it to be the kind of movie that keeps you guessing until the very end as to the true identity of the killer.   Unlike the Jack the Ripper legend, Golem is easily recognizable in the very first instance the character is introduced.

Delirium (2018)— My take on the movie with spoilers!

PLOT SUMMARY: After leaving the asylum and put in house arrest, Tom begins to believe the house is either haunted or he is hallucinating.  Most times, when we think about criminals, we wonder what could possible have prompted them to fall into a life of crime.

Look Away— my take on the movie with spoilers!

Plot Summary: A bullied girl switches places with her reflection. She soon regrets her decision as people start dying.  What matters most? Looks or confidence? When we see someone for the first time, we do notice their looks, the way they dress. Personality and their ability to initiate and hold a conversation comes second, doesn't it? Imagine meeting someone who is good looking but is dull to the core. Now imagine someone with average looks but is someone you can have fun with or have an intellectual conversation. Which seems more attractive? Look Away takes a very bold stand where appearances are concerned. But also about self-confidence. In the end, the only argument it makes is that one cannot possess both attributes. LOOK AWAY Movie Plot  We are introduced to a timid girl, Maria whose father is a plastic surgeon. Her mother is shown to have no say of her own. She is left to watch her husband ridicule his daughter about not being careful with her looks. Maria has a friend Lily