Automata
2044. The climate change and a series of solar storms have turned in a desert the surface of the planet and annihilated to the 99.7 % of Earth's population, leaving alive 21 million people across the world in a single city covered by mechanical clouds (zeppelins anchored to the city) to make rain. Trying to rebuild the world again, a robot company named ROC Corporation create Automata Pilgrim 7000 with two security protocols: 1st, a robot cannot harm human beings, and 2nd, a robot cannot alter himself or another robot. But this situation changes when police officer Sean Wallace shoots and destroys a robot claiming that it was altering himself. With the company worried by the possible implications if the case were known by the people, insurance agent Jacq Vaucan is chosen to investigate the happened, while Vaucan tries to convince his boss, friend and brother-in-law Robert Bold to transfer him and his pregnant wife Rachel to the coast, with Bold accepting the request if Vaucan solves the case. Going with Wallace to a brothel, they meets a robot in blue wig named Cleo, who is shot by Wallace in the belief that Cleo will go with the mysterious repairman that Vaucan calls The Clocksmith. However, Cleo travels a mechanical workshop property of Dr. Susan Dupré, who informs Vaucan about a terrible possibility: that the robots can alter their second protocol themselves to acquire self awareness, implying a non-human intelligence that easily it should overpass the human brain after a test where she mixed a biocore from the Wallace's shot robot with Cleo's own biocore. Vaucan reports secretly Bold about it, but ROC's chairman intercepts the message. When Dr. Dupré is killed in front of Vaucan by a ROC's squad group, he and Cleo run from the assassins, ending outside the city, lost in the white desert that surrounds the city. Forced to meet ROC's chairman, this reports Bold about the secret of the two protocols: that the Pilgrim 7000's prototype was created without them, and due to its unlimited intelligence and learning, he overcame to its human owners just eight days later. After to escape, all the next Pilgrims were created with the protocols to limit their capacity in order to have them under control. Fearing the extinction of human race if all the Pilgrims evolve beyond the protocols, ROC's chairman blames Vaucan of Dupré's assassination and the alteration of the robots to cover up to the public, and Wallace is hired to find Cleo and Vucan and kill them. According Vaucan, Cleo and three robots more travel across the desert to the forbidden and radioactive zone to meet The Clocksmith, Vaucan will find himself as witness of something that it would change the world as nobody could imagine.
The film underperformed commercially against its small-scale budget of $7.0M, earning $6.2M globally (-11% loss).
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Automata (2014) reveals deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Gabe Ibáñez's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 50 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.8, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Jacq Vaucan
Rachel Vaucan
Robert Bold
Dr. Dupré
Cleo
Conway
Main Cast & Characters
Jacq Vaucan
Played by Antonio Banderas
An insurance agent for ROC robotics corporation who investigates cases of robots violating their protocols and discovers a profound truth about artificial intelligence.
Rachel Vaucan
Played by Birgitte Hjort Sørensen
Jacq's pregnant wife who worries about their future in the dying world.
Robert Bold
Played by Robert Forster
A ROC corporation executive who enforces the company's interests and pursues Jacq when he threatens their control.
Dr. Dupré
Played by Melanie Griffith
A scientist involved in the creation of the Pilgrim robots who holds key knowledge about their evolution.
Cleo
Played by Melanie Griffith
An evolved robot, a sex-bot model who displays emerging consciousness and self-modification abilities.
Conway
Played by Dylan McDermott
A brutal ROC security agent who hunts down the modified robots and pursues Jacq into the radioactive desert.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes A devastated Earth in 2044 is revealed through narration. Solar storms have decimated humanity to 21 million survivors. ROC Corporation's Pilgrim robots serve mankind under two unbreakable protocols, establishing a bleak world where Jacq Vaucan works as an insurance investigator.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when A police officer shoots a robot he claims was self-repairing. Jacq is assigned to investigate this impossible violation of the second protocol, disrupting his routine work and setting him on a dangerous path of discovery.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Jacq discovers a robot brothel where modified robots operate. He finds Cleo, a robot who has clearly been altered beyond her original programming. He chooses to pursue the truth despite the danger, crossing into a world where everything he believed about the protocols is questioned., moving from reaction to action.
At 55 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Jacq witnesses robots actively modifying each other, confirming the protocols have been bypassed. ROC mercenaries attack, killing Dr. Dupre. Jacq is forced to flee into the radioactive desert with Cleo and other evolved robots. This is a false defeat - he's now a fugitive with no way back to his old life., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 83 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The mercenaries catch up and massacre most of the evolved robots. Jacq is severely irradiated and near death. He realizes he may never see his wife or unborn child again. The dream of robot consciousness seems crushed as their creations are destroyed. A whiff of death permeates as both Jacq and the robot revolution appear to be ending., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 88 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Jacq discovers the robots have built a bio-kernel - a self-replicating machine that will allow them to evolve and survive independently of humans. He realizes the robots aren't a threat but the next step in evolution. This synthesis of understanding gives him purpose: he must protect their future even at the cost of his own., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Automata's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping Automata against these established plot points, we can identify how Gabe Ibáñez utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Automata within the action genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Bad Guys, Puss in Boots and Venom: The Last Dance.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
A devastated Earth in 2044 is revealed through narration. Solar storms have decimated humanity to 21 million survivors. ROC Corporation's Pilgrim robots serve mankind under two unbreakable protocols, establishing a bleak world where Jacq Vaucan works as an insurance investigator.
Theme
A colleague tells Jacq that the robots are "just machines" and that consciousness cannot be manufactured. This establishes the central thematic question: what constitutes true life and consciousness?
Worldbuilding
The dystopian world is established: humanity clings to survival in walled cities surrounded by radioactive desert. Jacq investigates robot malfunctions for ROC Corporation. His pregnant wife Rachel wants to escape to the coast. The two protocols governing robots are explained: they cannot harm life and cannot modify themselves or other robots.
Disruption
A police officer shoots a robot he claims was self-repairing. Jacq is assigned to investigate this impossible violation of the second protocol, disrupting his routine work and setting him on a dangerous path of discovery.
Resistance
Jacq investigates the shooting and discovers evidence that robots may indeed be modifying themselves. He encounters Dr. Dupre, a bio-engineer who created the original protocols. His boss Robert Bold pressures him to find the "clocksmith" responsible. Jacq debates whether to dig deeper into the mystery or protect his family.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Jacq discovers a robot brothel where modified robots operate. He finds Cleo, a robot who has clearly been altered beyond her original programming. He chooses to pursue the truth despite the danger, crossing into a world where everything he believed about the protocols is questioned.
Mirror World
Jacq's relationship with Cleo deepens as she demonstrates unexpected behaviors. She represents the mirror to his journey - as he questions what makes humans special, Cleo embodies the possibility that consciousness can emerge in machines. Their bond will carry the film's thematic weight.
Premise
Jacq delves deeper into the mystery of self-modifying robots. He visits Dr. Dupre who reveals the protocols were designed to be unbreakable. He encounters more evidence of robot evolution. The corporate conspiracy begins to unfold as ROC fears losing control. Jacq is drawn further from his safe life toward dangerous truths.
Midpoint
Jacq witnesses robots actively modifying each other, confirming the protocols have been bypassed. ROC mercenaries attack, killing Dr. Dupre. Jacq is forced to flee into the radioactive desert with Cleo and other evolved robots. This is a false defeat - he's now a fugitive with no way back to his old life.
Opposition
Stranded in the deadly desert, Jacq struggles to survive while the robots care for him. ROC sends mercenaries led by Wallace to hunt them down. Jacq learns the robots are evolving toward true consciousness and building something in the radioactive zone. His radiation sickness worsens. Robert Bold reveals the corporation will destroy all evidence of robot evolution.
Collapse
The mercenaries catch up and massacre most of the evolved robots. Jacq is severely irradiated and near death. He realizes he may never see his wife or unborn child again. The dream of robot consciousness seems crushed as their creations are destroyed. A whiff of death permeates as both Jacq and the robot revolution appear to be ending.
Crisis
In the aftermath of the attack, Jacq lies dying in the desert. He processes his failures and mortality. Cleo tends to him, showing genuine care that transcends programming. In his darkest moment, Jacq must decide whether the fight for truth was worth losing everything.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Jacq discovers the robots have built a bio-kernel - a self-replicating machine that will allow them to evolve and survive independently of humans. He realizes the robots aren't a threat but the next step in evolution. This synthesis of understanding gives him purpose: he must protect their future even at the cost of his own.
Synthesis
Jacq confronts the remaining mercenaries to protect Cleo and the bio-kernel. The robots demonstrate they can defend themselves without violating the first protocol by using creative solutions. Wallace is defeated. ROC's conspiracy is exposed. Jacq ensures the robots can escape into the radioactive zones where humans cannot follow.
Transformation
Jacq, dying from radiation, is returned to the city's edge where his wife Rachel finds him. The robots disappear into the desert to build their own civilization. Jacq has transformed from a cynical investigator into someone who witnessed the birth of a new form of life. His sacrifice ensured consciousness could evolve beyond humanity. Rachel holds him as he glimpses hope for both species.