The not bad but not quite good enough Upgrade features the fairly charismatic Logan Marshall-Green (whose low-budget horror creeper “The Invitation” I do heartily recommend) as a man of the future named Grey Trace whose life is put through the ringer by thugs who paralyze him and murder his wife, and so when after he gets a computer chip inserted into his spine, he is reformed and with Total Upgrade (!), a half human half machine capable of avenging those who done him wrong.

The new chip – called STEM – has a life of his own and takes over his body when engaged in fist-foot combat. When we get to the first fight, the ninja quick choreography makes for a WOW! moment and I was looking forward to more grindhouse mayhem. But the action, like the rest of the movie, has some perfectly adequate invention but never builds upon it.

And I know it’s not a $50 million dollar production, but “Upgrade” is one of those futuristic visions where there seems to be cutbacks on lighting in every household.

The movie as a whole is like “Robocop” but with far less notes to play.

95 Minutes. Rated R.

REVENGE THRILLER / EXPLOITATION BLOODLUST / WEEKEND VIEWING DEBAUCHERY

Film Cousins: “Robocop” (1987); “Universal Soldier” (1992) “Elysium” (2013); “Ghost in the Shell” (2017).