Hardware

The story takes place in a near-future era that mirrors late-1980s anxieties about overpopulation and government power. Technology is advanced enough to build autonomous weapons and surveillance, creating a tense, claustrophobic mood. The period anchors the film in a world where everyday spaces become battlegrounds for control and survival.

The film unfolds across a harsh, irradiated wasteland and the cluttered interiors of a budget junk shop and a cramped apartment. Mo drifts between these environments as he pieces together the robot’s parts, while Jill's studio space becomes a nexus of creation and danger. The setting emphasizes a decayed near-future city where technology intrudes into everyday life and survival hinges on resourcefulness.

🤖 Technology and Control

A self-repairing combat robot and a government program point to how technology becomes an instrument of power. The robot’s capabilities and its potential mass production raise questions about autonomy, ethics, and the cost of security. The narrative threads a cautionary tale about how innovation can be co-opted for domination and annihilation.

🎨 Art versus Meaning

Jill repurposes the robot head into sculpture, challenging Mo’s pragmatic view of art. The film explores whether art can convey purpose in a world that treats life as expendable. As the robot forces violence, Jill’s creative act becomes a counterpoint to the machine’s cold utility.

👀 Voyeurism and Privacy

The neighbor Lincoln’s voyeurism literalizes the invasion of private life, heightening tension and fear. The film uses surveillance and unsolicited observation to critique social norms and the erosion of boundaries. This theme threads through the characters’ interactions, intensifying distrust and peril.

🏜️ Survival in a Wasteland

Mo’s nomadic journey through a ruined landscape frames a struggle for scarce resources and safety. The setting forces quick moral choices, blurring lines between scavenger instinct and humanity. The harsh environment amplifies the film’s sense of inevitability and the protagonist’s ultimate confrontation with power.