La machine (1994) User Reviews (13)

Sorta like face-off, only not.

[lost-in-limbo · 6/10 · 12 April 2020]

The clinical French thriller La Machine is like a bombastic Hollywood film in structure, but without the Hollywood ending. And what I mean by that, it's a downer. A brutal downer. Pushing the boundaries of science and losing yourself in your work can have unexpected and dire consequences in what is a cautionary tale of the damaging domino affect on not just yourself, but also those around you.

Brain specialist/psychiatrist Marc Lacrox has developed a groundbreaking machine that can transfer parts of the human brain between two people. He's looking to test it out on someone, and that's where he becomes infatuated by one of his patients (a deranged serial killer of the criminally insane). Wanting to cure, and understand his patient the two secretly perform the experiment and it was successful, but to Marc's surprise after the body swap his prisoner decides that he's going to keep Marc's body.

The machine itself gets little screen time, let alone any sort of background, where after the pointless prologue, it gives out a minor rundown on what drives the principal character, a surely performance by Gerard Depaedieu. Early on we watch Marc interact with his chosen patient, philosophical conversations, but once the transformation takes place it becomes hamstrung, dumb and over-the-top. It really does rely on the illogical and ludicrous plotting to sell the high stakes. It left me questioning why would the doctor be so naive and put so much trust in a convicted serial killer, especially when he knows about the man's deteriorating health.

The pulp material does offer up in and out obstacles for the characters, especially the toxic surprise that is awaiting them once they swapped bodies. There it becomes a searing battle of wits between two men. One on the run, desperately trying everything to get his actual body back to reverse the experiment and the other fighting knife happy temptations that saw him put away, while also adapting to his new family life. Honestly not much happens, well not until three quarters in when the two men come face to face again. Then it leads to a couple vicious, bloody attacks and deliriously twisted climax that showed some guts to end the way it did. Good psychologically building first act and a live-wire third act, but what's in between simply goes through the motions.

My Worst Movie in the world

[clarknova · 1/10 · 10 March 2001]

It's my first day on IMDb and my first move here will be to say to the world how awful is this movie. The worst i have ever seen in my life (and i used to be an horror picture fan so you can believe me, i have seen real Z movies). In La Machine, Depardieu plays like a puppet and Didier Bourdon is so ridiculous i felt ashamed for him, I really felt the Chill of Shame. Thanks God, the scenario worth nothing so nothing is wasted.

Don't judge a book by its cover.

[gridoon · 7/10 · 8 July 2003]

"La Machine" is a violent, very well-made thriller, which proves that when the French aren't too preoccupied with "art" or "social shock", they can make a genre movie just as good as any similar American product. The director shows remarkable attention to detail, and the performances are versatile enough to help you "buy" the various transformations of the characters. Not an exceptional movie, but a gripping one. (***)

Nice SF thriller

[suchenwi · 7/10 · 14 May 2008]

I wouldn't call La machine a perfect movie, but it is well done and gives good thrills mostly by fitting music and cinematography, while hardly displaying gore. You can create enough tension by just showing a door-knob slowly opening.

Having seen 36 Quai d'Orfevres and Boudu in the last few days, I must say Gérard Depardieu is impressive in yet another type of role (or should we say, three?) Only in the end I lost track who is now in whose body...

To blame this film to be a "pre-make" of Face/Off made three years later is obviously silly. But I notice quite some similarities with the cutely named "The Man Who Changed His Mind" (1936/I), with Boris Karloff - and, of course, many dissimilarities as well.

I liked this movie, and give it 7/10.

If your husband starts calling your son "rat-boy", maybe he's not your husband

[Varlaam · 7/10 · 10 October 1998]

Dr. Lacroix (Depardieu) has constructed a machine which will allow him to exchange personalities with one of his patients, a misogynistic multiple murderer (Bourdon).

This thriller is a variation on the Frankenstein theme with the monster as a serial killer's mind unleashed in a psychologist's body. The film is under-budgeted and reliant on dialogue as many French films are. It can all seem a little overwrought and contrived at times, but still it's fairly good.

Depardieu is convincing in the different personalities he has to affect. He is united with his frequent costar Nathalie Baye, although her role is a small one this time. There is even a very faint echo of the "What makes a marriage?" theme from their earlier film Le retour de Martin Guerre. So faint you probably won't notice.

Surprisingly-Good Movie

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 19 May 2006]

This was one of those rare cases in which the opposite occurs: a movie that should have been stupid and hokey but turned out to be well-done and a good thriller. Yes, a very pleasant surprise.

A man invents a machine which can switch the inward beings (at least the brain) of two humans so....the doctor winds up being a killer while the killer becomes him, the doctor in actions and thoughts. This "fact" is hidden because the two people still have the old face and body of the person they used to be, so no one else can see the two people have switched "identities.""

Anyway.....there is very good suspense in this film as the good guy tries to save his wife and family from being killed by the deranged human. Yeah, I know....it sounds confusing and stupid, but it isn't. The film also boasts a few shocking scenes and twists at the end. Recommended.

Creepy Experiment

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 4 October 2016]

The psychiatrist Marc Laxroix (Gérard Depardieu) is a studious scientist of the brains of criminals. He has an unhappy and loveless marriage with his wife Marie Lacroix (Nathalie Baye) and they have a boy, Léonard Lacroix (Erwan Baynaud). Marc has also a mistress, Marianne (Natalia Wörner), who is also his confidante. Marc has secretly built a machine to study the mind of a person to another one in his old house, but he has not tested it yet, and Marianne is the only person who knows. When the serial-killer Michel Zyto (Didier Bourdon) is sentenced to life in the institution where Marc works, he decides to study the mind of the psychopath. Then he brings Zyto to use the machine and their minds are exchanged. When Marc asks Zyto to press a green button to restore their minds, Zyto refuses and uses Marc's body to lock up Marc trapped in his body in the institution. Further, he goes to Marc's house to stay with his family. Will Marc retrieve his body?

"La Machine" is a dark film with a creepy and tense story that could be darker with a different and less commercial conclusion. The plot holds the attention of the viewer until the ending and the direction and performances are top notch, highlighting Gérard Depardieu. Unfortunately this film was only released on VHS. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Memórias do Mal" ("Memories from Evil")

A discriminated movie

[vucaii · 8/10 · 21 July 2018]

I cannot understand how the movie "Face Off" could get near 8 on IMDb valuation and this movie, bacause is an european movie, only got 5.4. To me this movie, which is a science fiction or fantasy movie is similar in the fiction, but better

Where is my mind

[kosto · 8/10 · 18 January 2003]

A psychiatrist (Gerard Depardieu) and his woman-stabbing patient accidently exchange minds with a machine (the machine) he developed. The maniac overthrows him before the transfer-back process and stays in the body. Now the psychiatrist is locked away in the clinic and the madman is at home with the psychiatrist's wife and child.

Queer sounding story but nevertheless a fascinating, exciting "mind-exchange" movie.

8/10

Excellent!

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 10/10 · 11 September 2001]

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** Those who think that this is the worst film ever made are completely missing the point.I know that "La Machine" has its share of flaws,but it's still exciting and it can be a real gut-puncher at times.Depardieu is excellent in the different personalities he has to affect,the rest of the cast is also splendid.yes,the similarities between this one and overrated John Woo's actioner "Face Off"(I love his Hong Kong stuff,but films he does in Hollywood are pathetic crap,though)are obvious.So is "La Machine" worth watching?Of course yes,but beware:there are two extremely brutal and disturbing knife killings in this film.Especially the last scene when young boy stabs to death his mother is really harrowing.10 out of 10.

superb !

[whitef_67 · 8/10 · 21 February 2005]

this film is superb. I found the idea excellent and do not remember having seen something like it. Depardieu is brilliant as usual one would say; he deserves very special acknowledgment for this film where his talent is more than useful and very well utilized. Didier Bourdon is also very good in a part quite different from what he usually does; he shows in this film that he can be much more of an actor than what he has be doing for years with Les Inconnus on the funny side (although this was very good too); Nathalie Baye is a good an actor as she is beautiful, and the little boy (Erwan Baynaud) should not be forgotten; he was only 11 when he played this film. This film should be much more famous and appreciated. I first saw it around 1995 when it first came out, and saw it again today (feb 2005) with the same pleasure. It definitely is one of the 12 best films I know.

You've got to admit, this is not a good movie.

[cinephil-6 · 8 July 1999]

Since the movie was made in 1994, it's difficult to say that the plot was inspired by the brilliant movie "Face Off", made in 1997. Nevertheless, while you're watching the movie, you can't help thinking about the 1997 John Woo movie where the main character trade place with a dangerous killer. In both movies, the "bad guy" ends up sleeping with the "hero"'s wife, he threatens the "hero"'s wife and kid. They also switch lives where the hero ends up in jail (or asylum) and the bad guy enjoy a comfortable life in a beautiful house, next to the hero's wife and kid. "The Machine" doesn't have the juice of "Face Off" because they don't go deeply into everyone's personality and life. It seems like a shallow replicate of the John Woo movie without the special effects and cinematography. Good luck !