iBoy (2017)

iBoy takes a familiar vigilante spark and jolts it to life with a brilliantly modern twist: a teen whose superpowers are literally wired into the city’s screens, signals, and surveillance, turning London into a living circuit board. Adam Randall gives the film a gritty, street-level pulse and a slick, kinetic style that makes every camera, phone, and flicker of neon feel like part of the action, while Bill Milner grounds the high-concept hook in something bruised and human. Maisie Williams brings real emotional weight, anchoring the story’s anger and resilience so it doesn’t drift into empty spectacle. Be warned, though: the inciting violence is harsh and upsetting, and the film’s revenge drive is intense—if you can handle that darkness, you’ll find a sharp, propulsive sci-fi action ride with a surprisingly contemporary bite.

iBoy is clearly aiming for a gritty, street-level superhero origin story—think teen vigilante revenge with a tech-powered twist—and on paper that’s a solid hook. The problem is it doesn’t squeeze much imagination out of the concept, leaning hard on familiar beats, shaky internal logic, and a relentlessly grim tone that rarely finds any fun or emotional lift. It also deals with extremely heavy material (including sexual violence and gang brutality), and the film can feel exploitative rather than insightful, so if you’re looking for escapist sci‑fi action, this will likely leave you cold. There are a few watchable moments and committed performances, but overall it’s more dour and conventional than its premise deserves.