Robot World: Devon-made sci-fi hits the shelves near you

An exciting new sci-fi movie hit the shelves â€“ virtual and otherwise -earlier this month. The film Robot World, which has been compared to the work of Neil Blomkamp, was shot in Exeter, Plymouth and on Dartmoor by a small, dedicated and obvs talented Exeter team.

Robot World (which was originally called Reconnoiter, but had to change its name because of various world wide distribution deals -how about that for a post production problem!), was released at the start of May this year.

You can find it on the shelves of HMV, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Amazon and to stream and download on iTunes and many more places.

The story is set 50 years in the future when a pilot ‘is sent 60 light years across the galaxy through a new device capable of crossing the extra spatial dimensions.

‘His mission is to orbit and reconnoiter the planet then return home.

‘The planet is known to be populated by intelligent life. Once at his destination the pilot has to perform an emergency landing and becomes marooned on the alien planet, and soon discovers the planets only inhabitants are predatory machines.’

Written and directed by Neil Rowe, starring Ian James Rowe and produced by Amanda Rowe (who was also responsible for the score), Robot World is a homegrown and tight-knit affair. But judging by the reviews, it doesn’t look or feel it.

The film ‘is very much a film that hard core sci fi fans will enjoy, as well as just casual sci fi fans. Visually it’s well shot and directed, and its CGI effects are on par with what you’d expect from Neil Blomkamp’, according to the Cellar Door Cinema site. Which goes on to call it both an homage to the short stories of Philip K Dick plus the Outer Limits.

The review concludes: ‘Any audience to see this film is going to enjoy it and think it was done by a slew of seasoned professionalsand then be blown away to find out it was three, passionate, studious, professionals in the making and as yet to be determined what high level they will finally have in the film making industry.’

The Austin Chronicle calls the film ‘thoughtful and ingenious’, with the hint of a modified Robinson Crusoe in Space combined with something more mournful, which avoids becoming a low-budget Terminator, but rather ‘builds to a moving and elegiac resolution’.

It’ll be no surprise then that Robot World has picked up a slew of awards: best feature film at the Unreal film festival, Texas. Best directing at Hyperdrive film festival, UK. Best feature VFX at the other worlds film festival Austin and received an honoury mention at the Boston sci fi film festival.

For more about the film, pop over to the its site or follow Robot World on Facebook, and to find out about the production go over to its production blog.

And to buy a copy, head down your High Street (HMV, Morrisons, Sainsburys, etc); pop over to Amazon or shuffle off to iTunes.