La machine

Since the movie was made in 1994, it's difficult to say that the plot was inspired by the brilliant movie "Face Off", made in 1997. Nevertheless, while you're watching the movie, you can't help thinking about the 1997 John Woo movie where the main character trade place with a dangerous killer. In both movies, the "bad guy" ends up sleeping with the "hero"'s wife, he threatens the "hero"'s wife and kid. They also switch lives where the hero ends up in jail (or asylum) and the bad guy enjoy a comfortable life in a beautiful house, next to the hero's wife and kid. "The Machine" doesn't have the juice of "Face Off" because they don't go deeply into everyone's personality and life. It seems like a shallow replicate of the John Woo movie without the special effects and cinematography. Good luck !

I cannot understand how the movie "Face Off" could get near 8 on IMDb valuation and this movie, bacause is an european movie, only got 5.4. To me this movie, which is a science fiction or fantasy movie is similar in the fiction, but better

The psychiatrist Marc Laxroix (Gérard Depardieu) is a studious scientist of the brains of criminals. He has an unhappy and loveless marriage with his wife Marie Lacroix (Nathalie Baye) and they have a boy, Léonard Lacroix (Erwan Baynaud). Marc has also a mistress, Marianne (Natalia Wörner), who is also his confidante. Marc has secretly built a machine to study the mind of a person to another one in his old house, but he has not tested it yet, and Marianne is the only person who knows. When the serial-killer Michel Zyto (Didier Bourdon) is sentenced to life in the institution where Marc works, he decides to study the mind of the psychopath. Then he brings Zyto to use the machine and their minds are exchanged. When Marc asks Zyto to press a green button to restore their minds, Zyto refuses and uses Marc's body to lock up Marc trapped in his body in the institution. Further, he goes to Marc's house to stay with his family. Will Marc retrieve his body?

"La Machine" is a dark film with a creepy and tense story that could be darker with a different and less commercial conclusion. The plot holds the attention of the viewer until the ending and the direction and performances are top notch, highlighting Gérard Depardieu. Unfortunately this film was only released on VHS. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Memórias do Mal" ("Memories from Evil")

"La Machine" is a violent, very well-made thriller, which proves that when the French aren't too preoccupied with "art" or "social shock", they can make a genre movie just as good as any similar American product. The director shows remarkable attention to detail, and the performances are versatile enough to help you "buy" the various transformations of the characters. Not an exceptional movie, but a gripping one. (***)

This was one of those rare cases in which the opposite occurs: a movie that should have been stupid and hokey but turned out to be well-done and a good thriller. Yes, a very pleasant surprise.

A man invents a machine which can switch the inward beings (at least the brain) of two humans so....the doctor winds up being a killer while the killer becomes him, the doctor in actions and thoughts. This "fact" is hidden because the two people still have the old face and body of the person they used to be, so no one else can see the two people have switched "identities.""

Anyway.....there is very good suspense in this film as the good guy tries to save his wife and family from being killed by the deranged human. Yeah, I know....it sounds confusing and stupid, but it isn't. The film also boasts a few shocking scenes and twists at the end. Recommended.