A-X-L

‘A-X-L’ may end up being a hidden gem this summer.  Directed by newcomer Oliver Daly, this sci-fi throwback features a motorbike-riding teenage boy, Mile (played by ‘Colony”s Alex Neustaedter) who discovers a futuristic robot dog in a junkyard.  Where did it come from?  In classic 1980s fashion, after bonding with the dog, ‘A-X-L’, Miles finds them the target of a shady government/military agency who want their creation back.

In the vein of classic ‘80s family movies SHORT CIRCUIT and FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR, A.X.L. is a new adventure about a down-on-his luck teenage bike rider, Miles (Alex Neustaedter), who stumbles upon an advanced, robotic, military dog named A.X.L. Endowed with next-generation artificial intelligence but with the heart of a dog, A.X.L. forms an emotional bond with Miles, much to the chagrin of the rogue military scientists who created A.X.L. and would do anything to retrieve him. Knowing what is at stake if A.X.L. gets captured, Miles teams up with his smart, resourceful crush, Sara (Becky G), to protect his new best friend on a timeless, epic adventure for the whole family.

This looks like the kind of movie that could have come out in 1988, flopped at the box office, only to become a beloved cult classic once HBO began showing it several times a day, every day.  ‘A-X-L’ is a bigger budget, fully actualized movie, based on Daly’s 2015 short film ‘Miles’.  ‘A-X-L’ boasts David S. Goyer (‘Batman V Superman’, the ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy) among its producers.

Check out the trailer below:

 

Alex Neustaedter is best known for his role on ‘Colony’.  Thomas Jane is the best known actor, having appeared in  many high profile projects, including the recent Syfy cult hit ‘The Expanse‘.  Becky G appeared in last year’s theatrical ‘Power Rangers’ movie as Trini the Yellow Ranger.  She is also a gold and platinum-selling Spanish pop artist.  Dominic Rains is perhaps most recognizable for his role as Kasius on ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’  Eric Etebari may be remembered from the TV series ‘Witchblade’.  He has also had roles on ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’, ‘Glee’ and ‘Castle’.

If the trailer for ‘A-X-L’ piqued your interest, you can check out Daly’s short ‘Miles’ below:

 

‘A-X-L’ will be released in theaters on August 24, 2018.