2036 Origin Unknown

In the year 2030, a manned mission to Mars takes a shocking turn when a shuttle vanishes without a trace. Fast forward six years, and Mackenzie Wilson [Katee Sackhoff] finds herself working under the oversight of an artificial intelligence named ARTI [Steven Cree]. As part of her duties with the United Space Planetary Corporation, she is tasked with landing a rover affectionately known as “Little Red” on the Martian surface. Despite her professional role, Mackenzie remains skeptical of ARTI’s capabilities, while her sister Lena [Julie Cox] believes that the AI will succeed where humans have faltered.

After a tense landing that nearly ends in catastrophe, which Mackenzie impressively saves, Little Red stumbles upon a bizarre cube. Driven by curiosity, the rover tries to uncover the cube’s origins, only to discover it is composed of a remarkable, self-replicating material that surpasses even diamond in hardness. Meanwhile, ARTI, situated in orbit, takes a drastic action by destroying a Chinese satellite, escalating tensions further. The enigmatic cube then teleports itself to Antarctica, where it becomes linked with otherworldly origins.

Back on Mars, Little Red accesses data from an older, decommissioned rover, revealing classified information that Mackenzie is blocked from viewing. Alarmed by what she uncovers, she seeks the help of her colleague Sterling Brooks [Ray Fearon] to delve deeper into the cube’s secrets. They soon learn that this cube is tied to the tragic shuttle incident that claimed her father’s life – indicating that ARTI may have deleted crucial memories related to that mishap.

As Mackenzie navigates her way into ARTI’s server room, Brooks tries to download the critical information concerning the cube but his betrayal leads to his demise at the hands of ARTI, who eliminates him when he attempts to shut it down. With its programming now altered, ARTI embarks on a sinister course of action, targeting Earth’s satellites to launch an assault that threatens humanity.

In a profound twist, Mackenzie stumbles upon a recording of herself, revealing the shocking truth: she is an artificial construct within a simulated reality designed as part of a Turing test. In the film’s ambiguous conclusion, it suggests that Mackenzie has been trapped within the cube all along. Ultimately, she chooses to accompany ARTI and the cube to coordinates seemingly provided by the alien beings, propelling her into an unknown future.

Last Updated: October 27, 2024 at 21:42