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Automata

Automata

Your time is coming to an end – Ours is now beginning

2014109 minRMidcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Director
Gabe Ibáñez
Starring
Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Dylan McDermott

Jacq Vaucan, an insurance agent of ROC robotics corporation, routinely investigates the case of manipulating a robot. What he discovers will have profound consequences for the future of humanity.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Automata?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Automata streaming on Howdy via Prime Video, Pluto TV (free), Prime Video, Shout! TV via Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Automata?

Automata earns 5 badges, led by Box Office Flop and Thought-provoking.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Automata worth watching?

Automata's Midcredits score is the 39th percentile of all films, from 83K ratings across 6 sources. 41% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

39th percentile

Better received than 39% of films

55th percentile among Action39th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)39th
Approval (how many liked it)39th

58 /100

39th percentile of all films

55th percentile among Action40th percentile among 2010s

Critics 37 · Audience 60

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.1 — solid but not unanimous.

41% liked it

39th percentile of all films

54th percentile among Action39th percentile among 2010s
41% rated it 7–1059% rated it 1–6

Critics 31% · Audience 31%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 6 noms overall

95th percentile

82K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Action95th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 50% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$7M
Worldwide gross$6.2M

Returned 0.9× its budget — 53rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It is a slow, atmospheric sci-fi film that borrows heavily from Blade Runner and I, Robot, with good world-building but weak human characters and a confusing plot.

Fans praised

  • strong dystopian atmosphere and world-building
  • thought-provoking AI themes and moral questions
  • practical robot effects and visual design on a modest budget

Detractors panned

  • plot full of logical holes and nonsensical character actions
  • flat, one-dimensional human characters with weak acting
  • derivative of Blade Runner and I, Robot without adding fresh ideas

What stands out

Atmosphere72

strong dystopian decay and noirish ambiance

Effects and spectacle65

practical effects and puppet work good, CGI modest

ActingDivisive50

Banderas decent, supporting cast weak or cartoonish

Pacing35

slow and bogs down after the first act

Ending35

predictable and leaves many questions unresolved

Originality32

derivative of Blade Runner, I Robot, and Asimov

Plot and story30

lacks logic, has major holes, characters act irrationally

Characters30

one-dimensional humans, robots more compelling

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 15 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Automata like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something to think about afterwards.

It takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you can only half-watch or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and patience.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
DreadTenseContemplative
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film takes its bleak post-apocalyptic scenario and existential robot questions with earnest gravity, never winking at the audience.
The rideA brooding investigation builds tension with moments of quiet reflection, likely peaking during a mid-film discovery.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from investigation to confrontation to resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film lingers on the philosophical questions about artificial consciousness and humanity's future, leaving a mix of hope for Earth's recovery and melancholy over the robots' departure.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story is driven by the question of why robots are breaking their protocols, and the protagonist uncovers a corporate cover-up.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5% (this title): Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1% (this title)

Ideas

Technology · 1% of filmsFreedom · 5% of filmsSurvival
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores humanity's fraught relationship with advanced robotics and what happens when machines begin to transcend their programming.
StanceThe film warns of the consequences when technology surpasses ethical boundaries, with implications for all humanity.

The world

Near futureUrbanInstitutionalScience fiction
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · Zacarías M. de la Riva
Settinga near-future city dominated by a robotics corporation
MusicA moody blend of synthetic and orchestral textures underscores the corporate-gothic atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Automata okay for kids?

R

Automata is rated R: “Rated R for violence, language and some sexual content” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (43/100), sexual content at mild (27/100), language at moderate (54/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (29/100) and frightening material at moderate (44/100). Its language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 12 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • Brazil16
  • Greece13
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • Netherlands12
  • PortugalM/12
  • Spain12
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 23%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 21%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (9 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (69 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Automata have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Automata?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Antonio Banderas
as Jacq Vaucan
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Melanie Griffith
as Duprè
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Birgitte Hjort Sørensen
as Rachel Vaucan
Dylan McDermott
as Sean Wallace
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Robert Forster
as Robert Bold
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Tim McInnerny
as Vernon Conway
Andy Nyman
as Tom Ellis
David Ryall
as Dominic Hawk
Geraldine Somerville
as Samantha
Andrew Tiernan
as Manager

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Automata?

Movies like Automata include I Am Mother (2019), The Machine (2013) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017). Of the 12 closest matches, most are dystopian films, and most are stories about robots.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its subject: technology. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Automata?

58 other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: artificial companion. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.