In the years after 92% of humanity was killed in a nuclear war, society becomes increasingly reliant on robots. As the 'mechanical men' become more human-like, they become loathed and feared by some people, admired and loved by others, but whether they are the only hope for mankind or the harbinger of our ultimate extinction remains unknown. This film is 'real' science fiction (as opposed to a pseudoscience backstory justifying a monster, as was common at the time). The script is very detailed and an earnest, if not scientifically rigorous, and attempts are made to plug plot holes and stave off 'but why?...' moments. The downside of this exposition is a very 'talky' film with a number of scenes buried under tedious dialogue, such as Cragis' (Don Megowan) philosophical showdown with his sister Esme (Frances McCann) over her 'rapport' with a humanoid (an undefined relationship that resembles love but seems to involve some kind of operation). While ostensibly about robots and the meaning of 'humanness', the film can be seen as a metaphor for race relations in the early 1960's. Cragis is in a paramilitary order ('The Order of Flesh and Blood') that is dedicated to stopping the encroachment of humanoid robots into society (both by political means and by violence) and sounds suspiciously like the Klan (as described by Esme, "You hold meetings. Wear ridiculous clothes."). The Order is particularly upset when one of the robots appears to fight back, 'rapport' is clearly a cipher for 'miscegenation', and order members constantly use the term 'clicker', a speciest pejorative for the humanoids. The robots on the other hand are expected (or forced by their programming) to be docile and subservient, but are slowly getting organised and building their own society (through their temples, from which humans are excluded). The 'look' of the film is imaginative but the low budget is evident and the acting and script are clunky at times (especially the 'courting' scenes between Cregis and Maxine, a remarkably lithe Erica Elliot). The story is intriguing but the pace is killed by the lengthy discussions, and the ending, while interesting, is anticlimactic (being just another discussion) with a final 'twist', delivered across the fourth wall, that is gimmicky and really doesn't make any sense. All and all, "Creation of the Humanoids" is a noble attempt at a 'thoughtful' science fiction film that is undermined by a budget insufficient to provide any 'action' (but the makers should be given some credit for not just padding the running time with stock footage). Well worth watching for fans of the genre.
Review of The Creation of the Humanoids
