iBoy Review (AKA I Love Maisie Williams!)

By Dave B.

​iBoy (Netflix) is a fairly typical sci-fi/action-adventure/superhero movie. A teenage boy walks in on a horrific crime and, while calling the police, gets pieces of his phone embedded in his brain after being shot in the head. He gains the ability to control electronics and sets out to get revenge on the perpetrators of the horrible crime and their unknown leader. I honestly don’t have much more to say about most aspects of the movie. 

Although the plot is completely predictable, iBoy is mildly entertaining. It is a little annoying that the protagonist’s power changes without warning to allow him to accomplish whatever he wants, but it isn’t something that most viewers are likely to care too much about, as iBoy isn’t really an engaging enough movie to quibble over something as minor as an ill-defined, overly-convenient superpower. For most movies like this, I would give it a 4.5 rating (if I bothered to review it at all) and then permanently remove the movie from my mind. But this movie has something special: Maisie Williams.

She’s a powerhouse on the screen. She dominates every scene that she’s in. I was moved by the resilience, strength, and ferocity of both her character and her performance. By the middle of the movie, I was unconsciously holding my breath whenever she was on the screen. I don’t know how she could be motivated to give such a strong performance considering the relatively banal script, but her presence both elevates the movies and makes its flaws all the more glaring in the reflected light of her brilliance. I have no doubt that the movie would have been better by having her as the primary protagonist.
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In and of itself, iBoy probably isn’t worth 90 minutes of your time unless just want to zone out for a bit, but Williams’ presence in the movie changes that equation. I recommend this movie based primarily on her performance. She is clearly one of the best young actors/actresses in the out there and I look forward to seeing her in more movies. 5.5/10