The Best Movie Robots Of 2015
This has been a great year for fans of robots on film, with androids of all shapes and sizes appearing on the big screen - some intending to help us, others to destroy us, one just looking out for herself.
We’ve put together a list of our five favourite movie robots from the year gone by, and if you’re left wondering why we haven’t included Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800, then clearly you haven’t seen ‘Terminator Genisys’.
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BB-8 (’Star Wars: The Force Awakens’)
We begin with a droid starring in a film that isn’t even out yet, but BB-8 is already a firm fan favourite. She (yes, she) has been since we first laid eyes on her in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’s very first teaser trailer last year.
It was love at first sight for film fans, who recognised an instantly-iconic design as strong as those of series’ favourites C-3PO and R2-D2. BB-8 is the companion of Daisy Ridley’s Rey - both roaming the desolate surface of Jakku searching for a scrap. That is, until John Boyega’s Finn turns up and they’re whisked away on an adventure.
Ava (‘Ex Machina’)
Ava, played by Alicia Vikander, is the focal point of Alex Garland’s intensely creepy sci-fi thriller ‘Ex Machina’. She’s an artificial intelligence designed by Oscar Isaac’s Nathan, who is put through a series of tests (based on the Turing Test) to see just how convincing an AI she is.
Interacting with her is Domhnall Gleeson’s Caleb, who before long grows attached to Ava, perhaps even feeling love for her. To say any more would be to spoil the tense finale of one of 2015’s best films.
Ultron (‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’)
Typically, a robot bent on destroying humanity is defined by a coldness, but James Spader (with the substantial aid of director Joss Whedon’s script) gives ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’s titular antagonist surprising charisma and emotion, thanks to his apocalyptic daddy issues.
Of course, he’s psychotic too, creepily singing and humming along to ‘I’ve Got No Strings’ from ‘Pinocchio’ throughout the film. We need to give a shout out to Paul Bettnay’s Vision too, who comes close to stealing a film packed with quality characters.
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Athena (‘Tomorrowland’)
‘Tomorrowland’ was a disappointment, most will agree about that, but it’s problems weren’t down to its stars. Lead Britt Robertson proved herself to be one to watch for the future and George Clooney was as reliable as ever, but it was Raffey Cassidy as Athena who stole the show.
Athena is the brilliant young girl who we discover is an android - one a young Clooney grows close to during his time in Tomorrowland. The two are eventually separated, but years later she returns in search of him, with the fate of humanity in the balance. Perfect time to reunite with a childhood crush.
Baymax (‘Big Hero 6’)
It’s almost cliché to single out a particular character as being “the heart and soul” of a movie, but that’s absolutely true of Baymax - the affable robotic healthcare companion turned superhero in Disney’s ‘Big Hero 6’.
A delight in every scene he’s in, Baymax is the kind and considerate creation of lead character Hiro’s older brother. As the movie unfolds, Baymax becomes the companion and friend of Hiro - who teaches/programs him to become a red-armoured badass.
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Picture Credits: Disney / Universal
