iBoy (2017)

After being shot, Tom wakes from a coma to discover that fragments of his smart phone have been embedded in his head, and worse, that returning to normal teenage life is impossible because he has developed a strange set of superpowers.

Director:

Adam Randall

Writers:

Joe Barton (screenplay), Joe Barton

Stars:

Bill Milner, Maisie Williams, Miranda Richardson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Milner	...	Tom
Maisie Williams	...	Lucy
Miranda Richardson	...	Nan
Rory Kinnear	...	Ellman
Jordan Bolger	...	Danny
Charley Palmer Rothwell	...	Eugene
Armin Karima	...	Ant
McKell David	...	Hazzard
Shaquille Ali-Yebuah	...	Cass
Aymen Hamdouchi	...	Cutz
Leon Annor	...	Keon
Petrice Jones	...	Shotgun
Cameron Jack	...	Headteacher
Lucy Thackeray	...	Michelle
Christopher Colquhoun	...	Dr. Bale

Storyline

After being shot while calling for help trying to stop a violent attack on his high school girl, a 16 year old boy awakens from a coma to discover that fragments of his smart phone have embedded in his brain, giving him superhero powers. He uses this knowledge and technology to exact revenge on the gang responsible for the attack.

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Plot Keywords:

male lead | vigilante | mind control | revenge | mental powers | 

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 January 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

iБой

Filming Locations:

Petticoat Square, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wigwam Films, Pretty Pictures, Netflix

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The second time Bill Milner plays a character that develops super powers. The first was as young Magneto in X: First Class (2011).

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Goofs

Around 45:00 iBoy is making up several small packages of drugs with smiley faces on them that he took from the gangs hideout and in doing so he is not wearing any gloves. When the forensics team finds them they are wearing gloves. iBoy's finger prints are all over them making him the prime suspect instead of the gang members who he is trying to frame.

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Quotes

Ellman: You don't call the devil then get upset when he turns up.
Tom: You're not the devil, you're just a cunt.
Ellman: I suppose I am a bit, yeah.

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Connections

Features Plants vs. Zombies (2009)

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Soundtracks

Tales from Black
Performed by Tunng
Written by Michael Lindsay and Samuel Genders
Courtesy of Static Caravan by arrangement with Woodwork Music

User Reviews

A SERIOUSLY good flick..

The biggest mistake you can make going into iBoy is expecting something from the Marvel catalog.

Cause that is simply not going to happen.

Instead what you get is a solid Brit "estate gang" story (like Harry Brown 2009 or a dozen others you could probably recite from memory) with some Marvel/Spiderman superhero stuff cleverly thrown in.

And that is a mouthful because I have watched and reviewed a lot of films (check out my list, about 1300) and have never seen anything quite like this before.

Does it work? For the most part, YES. There are some pacing issues here and there, and it takes a while for the young lead to develop a character arc that the audience is comfortable with, but the suspense/payoff is rock-solid and nail-biting; and the close is edgy but respectful and optimistic.

The two best performances come from supporting actors -- another oddity.

Maisie Williams steals every scene not otherwise nailed down and does so with a sweetness of character that makes you wish you knew someone like her when you were in school.

And Rory Kinnear as the arch-villain almost but not quite moves into the rarefied air of a Bond film -- you keep waiting for him to say "WHAT DO I WANT IBOY, I WANT YOU TO DIE" -- but shows enough restraint to keep from falling over the edge.

In short, given the brilliant idea, the solid execution and its ability to keep the viewer both offguard and entertained at the same time, this a fun flick deserving of a higher IMDb score than I am seeing.

Recommended!