All language subtitles for ThePhoenixProject (2015)

[ Ambience ]

We're at the beginning of something...

Crazy... And historic.

This will be the hardest thing I ever do.

But there's nothing else I'd rather.

If dad were around, I think he'd be proud.

Welcome to you your new office.

- Only six outlets. - Oh, we can do something about that.

We'll power from a different circuit in the house.

Gonna need to do a lot more than that.

Yeah, I like it.

It's good, clean, simple.

I mean, it could be a lot worse.

Right, guys?

Kids.

It'll work just fine.

Here's the way I see it... Main control panel over here.

Processor's back here,

And our pedestal right in the center.

Okay, I'm just telling you now

I think we're gonna need at least two storage towers.

All right, so spread them out.

Toss one on each side of the table.

Where do you want me to set up my chem set?

In your room. We don't want contamination.

In that case, I'm... Gonna be in the master, right?

We'll see.

Okay, so, everybody clear?

All right. Project has officially begun.

Let's get to work.

[ Camera beeps ]

This is Perry Frank.

I'm the head scientist and theorist

On the project entitled Phoenix.

Over the course of the next few months,

We will be working on breaking ground

And overcoming mortality.

These tapes will serve as a personal log

Of all the participants of the project.

Regular reports will be mandatory.

Preliminary work is going smoothly.

We have a basic timeline and a strategy,

And we know how much rope we have to work with... five tests.

And we'll use them wisely.

I'm ready to get this rolling.

For real this time.

Okay, so, everyone on the team seems like

They're getting along really well, which is great,

And I like everyone on the team,

Which is good 'cause we're gonna have to live together

For the next couple months.

And I mean, I just... I really wish it were longer,

But it's probably about as far as our grant money will last,

Which is what Perry says is what we're gonna go on,

Which means we're gonna be moving fast,

Working real hard, and, yeah,

I just hope it doesn't go by too quickly.

So, I'm just supposed to talk?

Yeah.

It's for the grant organization

To be able to track our progress.

And you want me to talk to myself?

Well, no, not to yourself. To the camera.

Right. So, to myself.

I don't... I don't know what the guys have already said.

I-I don't know what I'm supposed to say.

Honestly, this feels like a complete waste of my time.

I'll have something to say once we've actually had a test.

I have to get back to work. I think the guys are waiting on me.

[ Camera beeps ]

[ Machine whirring ]

Killing susie.

[ Machine powers down ]

Killing Jenny.

- Table clear? - Yeah, it's clear.

Priming susie.

[ Switches click ]

Priming Jenny.

[ Machine whirring ]

Here we go.

[ Camera beeps ]

[ Electricity humming, popping ]

Oh, no. Cut the camera.

[ Camera beeps ]

[ Devices beeping ]

[ Switches click ]

[ Beeping stops ]

So, was that it?

- So we got nothing. - Nothing.

Okay, plug in the girls.

[ Machine whirring ]

I'm sorry.

It really should have worked.

Probably gonna be something stupid.

It's all right. That test was mainly a control.

So, let's see where we're at

And make sure we nail the next one.

So...

What... Went... Wrong?

We juiced the hell out of the thing.

Of course we did. That's the point.

Well, it didn't work.

Let's talk specifics, boys.

Focus.

There's too much power coming from the top down.

It doesn't match with our outputs.

It's not supposed to.

Why can't we just turn it down a bit?

- And by "we," you mean me. - No, I mean, why can't we

Just regulate the... no, no, it's fine.

Amps is just gonna fix everything. Good. No, that's not what I meant.

- Guys, we're on the same team. - I'm sorry. I'm sorry. -Exactly.

Let's pull up the charts and get some numbers up.

- So it's no more tests for today, then? - Only on paper.

It's gonna be a while before we can go again. Pasta and chicken?

- That'll do fine. - Okay.

I don't think we were off by that much.

No, we weren't.

It has to be a problem in the theory,

Not the practice. Amps wouldn't miss that badly.

I wouldn't go that far.

You carry a digit to the wrong place,

You end up with a fire. All right, here.

All of these numbers are correct.

All right.

See, look, I-i think we have a problem

With instrument accuracy and margin of error.

See, look... Look at these connections here.

The load can fluctuate too easily.

So let's quit messing around with the crickets

And get out from under the microscope.

The larger the subject, the more room we've got for error.

No, we... we... we got to take one step at a time.

If we skip steps, it makes it that much harder

To get up the stairs. Just hear me out.

And we need a successful test before we can move on.

Hear me out, Perry. Come on.

Look... From the beginning,

Our theory's been built around the warm-blooded mammal.

That's how it was conceived. That's how it was built.

Am I right, amps?

It should be able to cope with anything.

Right, but I'm saying it was built for mammals.

Yeah.

So... And I know this seems like

We're getting way ahead of ourselves,

But why don't we at least start on the right track?

Amps.

I'll go make some changes.

Catch a mouse.

All right, then. Moving on.

Wire cutters.

Wire cutters.

Hold on. Ah. There you go.

Thank you.

So, how's it going under there?

Pretty good, from what I can tell.

Is there anything I can do to...

Help you out right now, or...?

Yeah, make sure I keep working.

So...

How'd you get a name like ampersand?

How did you get a name like Carter?

Well, um ...

I was born in a really small town,

And my... my grandfather was the only doctor there.

And he had this dog... This little Jack Russell terrier

That used to follow him around all the time.

And, uh, the only problem with having a-a dog for a best friend

Is, I mean, they only live about 10 years.

So... One day, that dog, Carter, passed.

And a week later, I was born. Carter watts...

After the, uh... after the dog.

I was the second son born.

My parents always wanted a daughter.

They wanted no more than three kids.

Sense of humor.

Joke's on them, though. I got a little brother.

[ Chuckles ]

Crescent wrench.

[ Tools shuffling ]

Do you want to see how this thing goes together?

Test 1 went about as well as could be expected.

We only have four left, but we won't rush.

We'll... we'll make the remaining tests last.

We'll make them count.

We'll get it done.

I think Perry and I did a really good job

Hiring amps and Devin.

They're talented, hard-working, driven.

[ Chuckles ]

It seems like they want this project to work even more than we do,

Which is really saying something.

We're heading in a good direction.

I think Perry and I are working together well.

Uh [Chuckles] he's... A complicated man.

Uh, not quite the same shape as the rest of the world.

He doesn't know how to fit.

I started a bit of a fire.

Not really that big of a deal, though.

I mean, it's not like the guys can get mad at me.

I am building their new toy.

Um, Devin, uh, is getting us to move on to mice.

Uh, it's... it's fine.

We were going that way anyways, eventually.

A...

[ Sighs ] But, yeah, now I don't have to deal with bugs, which...

I-I hate bugs.

Um, mice aren't so bad, though.

[ Squeaking ]

This is just depressing.

Why can't we use a trap to kill it?

'Cause it'll break the thing's spine.

You can't revive an animal that's physically broken.

Well, we could.

No no no no no.

W-why don't we use some poison pellets or something?

No, the poison would still be in its system.

If the machine works, it just wakes up and then dies again.

Well, clearly, we're not doing that.

Poison dissolves when it's dead?

Into what? Its tissue? That's even worse.

So when he wakes up, has some side effects,

We can't tell if it's from the experiment

Or from the fact that we poisoned him.

No, we got to do it the only way that won't screw us over.

Suffocate it. Put it in a box and seal it.

That'll work.

Fun conversation, guys.

Guys.

Come on!

Come on.

[ Squeaking ]

How... Long do you think it'll take?

I have no idea.

- Do we have to keep it in a see-through container? - Yes.

Can we at least put it under the table or something?

Fine.

And now we wait.

The thing is basically a neurological jump start.

And, uh, now that we're working with an animal,

The whole restarting of the neurological process

Could lead to some very interesting results.

Um, see, the... the animal's commands start in the brain,

And, uh, these commands are carried from neuron to neuron

By these rapid, uh, electrical firings of synapses.

And these firings... They have different patterns

And different lengths,

Which create mental function and create impressions.

And similar firings help us to remember,

Which begs an important question...

Will this creature re-live its own birth

Upon resuscitation?

It's too bad we can't ask it.

I... Thought I'd be ready to start testing

On... on larger subjects,

But I just really, really feel uncomfortable

Taking a mouse and killing it

For the purposes of its possible re-animation.

Like, we don't even know

If this machine is gonna work or not, and I...

I mean, can't we buy some dead mice or something?

I just... Perry wouldn't even let me name it.

He wouldn't even let me name it.

"Not gonna be around for long enough."

I mean, I-i feel like if we named it,

We have a better chance of bringing it back to life, right?

The mouse traps worked. So we have our test subject.

Machine is up and ready to go again.

I've got the girls primed, instrumentation recalibrated.

I think... I think... I-i can't see any reason

Why this is not gonna work.

I remember seeing the notice and thinking that,

"They can't be serious.

"This is something that nobody does.

This is... Fantasy."

I forgot about it for... 10 minutes.

I-I just couldn't get it out of my head.

I kept coming back to it because what if... what if, like...?

Perry says this isn't about us.

I don't know.

It's important to note the change

From crickets to mice... Very important.

"After a failure in the first test with the cricket..."

"From here on to be referred to as subject 'a'..."

"The decision has been made to change the organism in question."

Size, blood, so on.

And make... make sure that you mention it's a mouse, specifically.

Yeah, I'm... I'm... I'm getting there.

Don't... don't worry.

"The following test will be conducted on an organism

"Of a greater size

"And with a warm-blooded circulatory system...

A common mouse... subject 'b.'"

You know, you probably could have written this without me.

But if I did, no one would read it.

You keep my head straight... Write what I mean and can't say.

I need that.

Just remember that when you're in the history books...

"The great Perry Frank could never have been published

Without Carter watts."

[ Machine whirring, switches clicking ]

Did we check him? I checked him twice.

'Cause zapping a bug is one thing.

I just really don't want that to happen to the mouse.

He'll be fine.

What are we gonna do, kill it again?

Killing susie.

Carter?

Yeah, sorry. Killing Jenny.

Table clear?

Clear.

Priming susie.

Priming Jenny.

[ Machine whirring ]

Here we go.

[ Camera beeps ]

Killing power.

[ Machine powers down ]

[ Devices beeping ]

[ Switches clicking ]

[ Beeping stops ]

That's a no-go.

[ Clicking continues ]

Clear the table.

[ Device beeping ]

Did that register?

[ Sustained beep ]

P-Perry, did you get that?

Yeah, we got something.

It's just not much, but... did it work?

Is he gonna make it? Yeah, it worked for a second.

Devin, come look at this.

Devin. What?

Come look at this.

[ Laughs ] L-look.

Yeah, yeah. We got all of it.

This is good.

Oh, this is really good. This is... this...

I know what to do... Maybe.

[ Chuckles ]

Then we run it again.

Right now. We just run it again.

No, we can't.

Why not? Look... th-the same mouse.

We can just run it again.

Of course. Why didn't I think of that?

Okay, "a," the coils need to cool down.

"B," one test, one subject. And that was our only mouse.

And, "c," the wiring melted from the increase in voltage

From bugs to mammals. Should I keep going?

All right, so, when can we, uh,

Be up and running again, huh?

I-I got to...

Got to take it down a few steps.

We got to re-wire it, let the girls cool off,

Charge them up again, and get another mouse.

Thursday. Thursday.

Thursday. Thursday's great.

Thursday's fine. This is good.

This is progress, right?

But we killed it.

But we brought it back to life again.

Now we just have to figure out somehow how to sustain it.

And... and that's all we have to do. That's it. Simple, right?

I'll get to work on an autopsy.

Yeah, record everything. Write down everything and... and preserve it.

Uh... Great work, amps, huh?

We're getting there.

I'll run analysis. You get this up and running again, okay?

Copy.

[ Door closes ]

[ Crickets chirping ]

Nice night.

Yeah.

Peaceful.

On nights like this, my...

Sister and I used to climb up on our roof

And watch thunderstorms in the mountains.

That sounds nice.

Yeah, it was.

My dad wasn't around much.

It was mostly just us.

That's understandable.

The, uh, scientific profession asks a lot.

Did your father ever isolate that protein sequence?

You know about my father?

Ah, I research. That's what I do.

No.

No, he never did.

That's too bad.

I know.

He was a great man, my father.

He did his best to raise us right.

That's all you can ask for.

Wish I had been afforded the same.

What did your father do?

Nothing.

So, how long until we're ready for the next test?

When we're ready.

We can't afford to throw away any tests.

Right, no. Of course.

But... How long do you expect this to take?

Well, we have enough money for a couple months

Of waste and haste with no results,

But, uh, if we slow down and make each test last,

We might actually have something.

But the... The goal of this is...

To apply this work to humans, right?

This endeavor is about scientific advancement,

Not practical application.

You know, I think my father's biggest regret

Was watching other men finish the work that he started.

And I think about that every day.

[ Camera beeps ]

The last few weeks have been, uh...

Rough.

We... we keep getting the same results.

Carter is, uh, staying positive, as always.

And, uh, Devin is getting frustrated.

But he works hard.

And ampersand...

Ampersand is is the one I'm really worried about.

He's not himself lately.

His confidence is dropping.

And every time the machine fails, he takes it personally.

I... well, I-I'm doing, and I'll continue to do my best

To try and keep the team and the project together.

I haven't slept in a couple days,

So hopefully I'll be able to, if I can...

If I can get some of this off my mind.

Hopefully.

Yeah, that doesn't look very safe.

What do you mean, "safe"? The mouse is dead.

Yeah, I know, but I just don't think

That looks like it's gonna work,

And I just don't want to torture it.

It is dead.

And it's not supposed to work.

I just need to make sure the skull cap transfers

Electricity more evenly.

Well, what does that have to do with anything?

Carter, would you plug the mouse in, please?

Not until you tell me what you're gonna do with this mouse.

Fine.

I need to make sure I don't kill any cells

Or damage a portion of the brain.

I need to make sure I don't melt it.

- Melt it?! - Give me the mouse.

Wait, hey! Hey!

You guys ready to go in here?

Hold that thought.

[ Machine whirring, pops ]

[ Sighs ] No.

Perry, a word, please?

Yeah. Sure.

Uh, amps, run a ground wire from the cap to the table.

Tell me if that works.

[ Sighs ]

[ Speaks indistinctly ]

So, uh, are we set?

The synthetic adrenaline

And the oxidizers are separating.

We can't wait any longer

Or I'll have to put together a new blood strain.

So, how long will that take?

I can mix it together with four hours' work,

But it'll take another five days to bond and settle.

That's no good.

We're gonna waste so much of our money on small tests,

We'll risk losing a real one.

We can try pushing the old mix,

But I think it'll take too long to react

Once it's in the system.

Okay.

Well, if we're not completely set now,

Let's ride the levels low.

Maybe we can save some wear and maybe go two for one.

Ready to work. Let's go.

You sure?

Sure as I'm gonna be.

Third time's charm.

Let's hope so.

[ Camera beeps ]

Okay. Here we go.

[ Machines whirring ]

Cutting power.

[ Devices beeping ]

[ Machines powering down ]

And again, boys, that's a day.

[ Sighs ]

I'll go put some dinner on.

That'd be nice.

P-Perry, I want another te...

Let me... let me have one more test, Perry, please.

I-I-i have another... I have another...

I have another mouse, and just...

Just one more test, Perry. I-i-I'm sorry. God, I'm sorry.

You've got nothing to be sorry for.

No no no.

No, no, no, no. It's not you.

It's all of us.

This is not an easy thing we're doing, so just calm down.

I know. I know. I know. Yeah, I-i know.

L-let's just try again, okay?

Just five minutes.

Five... five minutes... Perry.

Five... Uh... I think... I think I know what's wrong.

It's basically all that I... all that I haven't changed, um...

No, I mean...

Five minutes, Perry. Let's... let's go again.

Just you and me, okay?

Please. Yeah.

Okay. All right.

Okay.

Okay.

I think we have enough power for one more pull.

60%. That's reading fine.

Fine.

[ Switches clicking ]

[ Machines whirring ]

Okay.

That's what I... That's what I can do.

Okay.

Here we go.

[ Machine thuds ]

[ Machine whirring ]

[ Electricity crackling ]

Killing. Killing.

[ Air hisses ]

[ Devices beeping ]

[ Machine powering down ]

Sorry.

That was...

No. No, I...

Sorry, Perry. I'll... I'll do better.

No.

Take a break, hmm?

We need the rest.

[ Door opens, closes ]

[ Door closes ]

[ Clock ticking ]

[ Knock on door ]

Go away.

[ Knock on door ]

Go away!

[ Door opens ]

I saved you some dinner.

[ Crickets chirping ]

[ Wind chimes ringing ]

Guys?

Guys?!

Guys! Guys!

Wake up! Wake up!

Wake up!

Wake up, Perry! Perry!

Come on! It worked. It worked.

Stop screaming. Some of us need sleep.

The mouse moved.

What happened?

Uh, I came here to check on the girls and...

And the the table was empty and...

And that mouse is on the floor.

Go... go... Go check the record.

See if there's anything abnormal about our last test result.

Perry!

I-I don't think anything is different.

I think... i think everything's the same. No, no, no.

Uh, amps and I ran another test last night.

It was after everybody else left.

We didn't have anybody here to record it. I know what changed.

I can build off this, recorded or not.

What's all the shouting? What did I...?

Why is that mouse on the floor?

We're back in business.

Carter entered the lab last night

And found our test subject across the room.

Amps has something to work with now.

Yeah, finding that mouse on the floor was

About the best thing that could have happened to us.

[ Chuckles ]

The team is motivated.

We've got our miracle.

This is the thing I needed.

This is gonna let us do something big.

There's no way Perry can say no. Not now.

He... he's just gonna want to go bigger and better.

And then we're there.

I was at the hospital last night,

And... and she's... She's not getting better,

But she's stable.

There's still time.

We got lucky.

Uh, hopefully, it helps me out quite a bit.

I-I-if this is accurate, then I-i-I've got some things

I can try, pieces I can... I can build with.

Um, I think... I think we're running into an issue

With cell oxidization, which I...

Which I need to talk to Devin about,

But if it made it off the table and no further,

It's definitely an issue with cell functionality,

Uh, but luck or not, I am glad this happened.

I am... I am really glad.

What did we do?

We've only been changing

The amount of power we've been using

And playing around with the pieces we already have.

And I guess there's a lot going on

That's a bit over my head, but still, I mean,

I'm not complaining.

This is progress. This is amazing progress.

I just... I just can't seem to understand

What could have caused this, unless...

Unless somebody...

You finished with the camera?

We should get this on tape.

Yeah, I don't know about that.

What do you mean? We document everything.

The mouse moved.

Yeah, but maybe it didn't.

Well, I'm not sure I follow.

Maybe somebody moved the mouse.

Maybe... To make the machine look like it was working?

I'll keep it in mind.

Thank you for looking out,

But don't worry about it too much, okay?

I don't want it affecting your work.

Okay.

I just was going through it,

And I don't really see how it would be possible.

I mean, we didn't really change anything.

Well, Devin's blood strain was getting old, separating.

Perhaps the separation kicked the oxidizers first

And the adrenaline second.

And, uh, we only ran half surge, not even half,

So it could have created a more natural pulse,

Which we didn't account for.

Our distribution system's at its best yet...

Completely revamped, twice as efficient.

Any one of these would have made the difference.

Yeah, of course.

If there's a problem, I'll handle it.

Sorry to bother you, Perry.

Carter.

Thank you.

Overall voltage output ranges from 100 volts to 3,500 volts

At maximum output.

We have the capacity for anything.

No. No, not anything.

Anything up to a human and a bit beyond.

Anything useful.

But it gets more difficult the smaller the subject gets.

Tougher on the machine. Easier on the general public.

Nobody minds us working on a mouse,

But the second we move up to household pets,

People start to get nervous.

And we know we can get our organism up and moving,

But we can't sustain it, and there's a delay.

And I have an idea why this might be happening.

Now, once a cell dies, it is difficult to bring it back.

And even then, there's no telling

If it'll be able to function properly.

But even dead cells contain enough genetic information

To make a copy of themselves.

I see where you're going with this.

It's not something I can do.

No, I know. I'm not asking you to.

Yeah, I-i rea... I really don't see where you're going.

He's talking about inducing cell generation,

But only where necessary.

Exactly.

Activating the existing cells isn't enough.

We need to start helping.

We need to catalyze

The regenerative processes exponentially.

We'll know we've done our jobs if the rabbit stays alive

And sheds about 40% of its mass over the first day.

Uh, rabbit? Where are we getting rabbit?

They're transported frozen.

It'll preserve more living cells and make my job a lot easier.

An enzyme.

Yes.

I'm already working on it.

From what cells?

Some of my own.

Just a small skin sample.

Human cells?

Yes, that... they're the most readily available.

It shouldn't cause any genetic complications.

How long do you need?

Three or four days.

Take a week. Get it right.

[ Sighs ]

[ Crickets chirping ]

[ Wind chimes ringing ]

[ Ringing continues ]

[ Typewriter clacking ]

[ Chuckles ]

It's a... Funny system those two have.

It works. They make a good team.

I guess.

I'm not sure what Carter brings to it.

He's a good kid. You should... Get to know him.

Talk to him. Give him a chance.

[ Clacking continues ]

Were you out of bed last night?

Uh, I'm out of bed every night.

Did you see anything or hear anything unusual?

What do you mean?

Oh, I thought I heard noises coming from outside.

Thought I heard the front door.

Huh.

No, I didn't hear anything that bothered me.

And I was up pretty much all night.

Hmm.

Creatures in the night.

[ Chuckles ] Yeah, I guess so.

[ Clacking continues ]

Are you busy?

Not really. What's up?

I just wanted...

To thank you...

For not asking where I was the other night.

Of course. I mean...

It's not really any of my business.

Just as long as you're doing your work...

Yeah.

You know, I... Never asked you.

How... how'd you end up working for Perry?

Um, I was doing my undergraduate

When he was doing his doctorate,

And he was one of my professors,

And I just kind of became his understudy.

And what did you study?

Uh, engineering, same as Perry,

But he was doing his doctorate in mathematical physics.

Yeah, he's a... He's a smart man.

Yeah.

It must have been hard sometimes, though.

What do you mean?

He's not the most...

Compassionate man I've ever met.

I mean, that's just his way.

He's just... He's just practical.

Practical.

Yeah, sometimes he's a little too practical.

He's just stressed out.

He just... We only have so many tests left.

He doesn't want to come up empty-handed.

You don't want to come up empty-handed.

I was at the hospital last night,

And she's not getting better, but she's stable.

There's still time.

[ Click ]

I'll tell you what.

I'll call up the grant committee in the morning

And see if they can help us out.

Yeah, anything to... Buy us more time.

[ Sighs ] Yeah.

I'll call them in the morning.

Devin. We need to talk.

Yeah, sure.

[ Crickets chirping ]

You know we're not doing this for personal reasons, right?

This is about something much bigger than that...

Much bigger than us.

I know that.

Okay.

It seems like you got someone in mind.

In fact, I know you do, Devin. You got to tell me this.

You don't think I'm committed enough?

No, no, I think you're plenty committed.

I just want to know why.

Are you doing this for somebody?

Who is it?

Perry.

Tell me. Who is it?

- It's my little sister. - Oh, God damn it, Devin.

There was a car accident. I...

I tried to stop, but I-i couldn't.

And now she's... and now she's dead, okay.

No.

She's unresponsive.

Okay, so, here's why that's a problem.

It means that everything we're doing now means nothing

Unless we get the result that you want.

So we're fighting time. We're fighting money.

And now we're fighting you.

I-I'm not gonna do anything to you.

No, no, I don't care.

You don't bring something personal into this.

You don't make it a goodwill mission.

Are we clear?

Are we clear?

No, Perry, we aren't.

I-I-i can pretend to move past this,

L-lie to your face again and again

And say it's out of my mind, but it's not.

It's never gonna be.

Then why are you wasting my time?

'Cause this is the only hope that I have.

When the time comes,

I know that you are gonna do the right thing.

I'm...

"The right thing"?

Hmm? Where are we gonna go find a body, huh?

How long is that gonna take?

How easily is that gonna derail this whole project?

Maybe there's another way.

No, there is no other way.

What we're doing here is

Something that most people don't want or even understand.

Now... now, the other guys...

They understand that this is not for us, but you... you...

You're Miles ahead of us, hmm?

Now, tell me if that sounds productive.

I'm sorry.

But now that you know why I'm here,

Do you think I'm gonna do anything to hurt this project?

All this means is that I have regrets.

And, what, like... Like, you don't?

You don't have mistakes that you would want to fix?

Do you?

[ Sniffles ]

[ Sobs ]

[ Birds chirping ]

[ Breathes deeply ]

I, um ...

I've been doing some thinking, and... You're right.

I'm sorry. I should have told you about her.

All right.

Uh, there's some things I want to run by you...

Things I think we've been missing.

Yeah.

Okay, let's hear it.

[ Footsteps approaching ]

Don't!

Carter. Carter.

[ Door opens ]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing?

Carter, you can't just go through my stuff like that.

What are you doing?

Talked to some people today, Perry,

Down at the university.

Told me something interesting about your grant.

What's that?

Nothing. Get back to work, please.

Carter, can I speak to you in private?

There is no grant.

It doesn't exist.

That's not what you said.

I said that I have the finances covered, and I do.

They have a file on you.

Were you even aware?

What's in the file?

Nothing. Please, get back to work!

No, Perry, I think I have the right to hear this.

[ Drawer opens ]

[ Drawer closes ] What's in the file?

It says that he's done this before,

Or at least you've tried.

Tell him. Tell him.

No?

Okay.

Once, in your second year.

You almost burned down the science building.

Sent a guy to the hospital.

Then you tried to make it your dissertation.

And then you blow out the power in the lab.

He electrocuted two teammates.

They barely made it.

Is that true?

[ Drawer opens ]

I heard it straight from the source.

It's more than just your project, Perry.

This is your...

This is your obsession.

- I want to get it done. - Yeah, I've gathered that.

You'll get it right eventually, right?

And until then, what?

What, you'll just... You'll lie to everyone involved.

You lied to me from the very beginning.

Say it's... it's... It's legitimate.

It's financed.

It's legal.

You said everything is... Is okay. It's all right.

"Don't worry.

"Nobody's almost died working on it.

Don't worry. Nobody turned me down twice!"

Twice!

Carter. Please.

You know, you know what?

I think...

I think I'm done with this.

What do you mean?

This project is not for me anymore.

Carter, come on.

Carter, hey. Look.

Fine.

You're... you're... You're right, you know,

But you can't just leave.

Why not?

This whole thing is insane, Perry.

This project is so... So selfish, and you know it.

What else are you?

What do you...?

What do you have?

What have you...

What have you given up for this?

Like, I-i-i thought you valued our friendship, but clearly, I was wrong.

We're just the crew.

No.

That's it.

I'm done.

Carter, come on.

I'm done. I quit.

I can't work for a liar.

Get back here!

What you did is...

[ Sighs ]

You're leaving, too?

No.

I don't like being lied to, either.

Just... I don't have any other options right now.

I guess I can understand your situation.

You don't know anything about my situation.

Don't pretend like you do.

I'm not still here because I want to be.

I'm still here because I have to be.

Don't forget that.

Whatever the reason.

[ Buzzer ]

Where's Carter?

He is taking some time off.

I think it got a bit stressful for him.

Will he be back?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

I, uh... I hope so.

The enzyme's done.

Let's power it up.

Let's, uh... let's double-check it with the system first,

Make sure the deployment mechanism is all set.

Amps has been on it, right?

Yeah. Yeah, I guess.

Uh, every... Everything checks out.

Okay, well, we should check it again.

We've made some significant changes.

Well, all the changes we made will work.

We should go for a test now.

I don't think we're ready for the test.

Amps has been working on this for days.

And we don't want to bleed any more grant money.

Amps?

Everything should work.

Amps is ready. I'm ready.

We're ready.

Let's get in the lab.

I don't appreciate that.

You don't have to.

Killing susie.

[ Switches clicking ]

Killing Jenny.

Table clear.

Here we go.

[ Electricity hums ]

[ Door opens, closes ]

What the test did was fry the main connection,

Which caused a surge in the rest of the machine.

Uh, it's fixable?

It is fixed. That's all it was.

So we're up and running again.

So we can keep going.

If we're careful.

So, we're careful, but we keep going.

We try the rabbit again.

No.

No, we need to check everything first.

I did. I-i-i already checked.

I double-checked, and I re-checked.

I've been up all night fixing this machine by myself.

We're checked.

Okay, great.

So let's pull the cables. No.

We look at it again and not just the machine.

We look at the math.

We look at the enzymes.

We look at the oxidizers. We look to make sure our specimen is ready.

We look to make sure no one is going to get hurt.

I want to see it. I want to sign off on it.

We don't move on till I'm convinced.

Something happen between you two?

Just a disagreement.

[ Device beeps ]

Perry?

Perry!

That mouse... the first time off the pedestal...

It never moved.

Sorry, what?

You moved the damn mouse, Perry.

I know you did. The numbers prove it.

It never would have moved at all with the system I was using.

- Look, amps... - No, no, no, no.

Don't you, "look, amps," me. I am not a kid.

All right, I-i get it.

I was frustrated, and instead of talking to me about it,

You just... you went ahead, and you cheated, Perry.

All right, look.

I did not cheat.

This project couldn't afford to have you freezing up.

A decision had to be made, and I made the right one.

I am not a machine.

At the end of the day, it worked.

At the end of the day, you moved the mouse.

It didn't walk anywhere. You moved it, Perry!

I have been basing hours and hours of work

Upon the pretense that what we were doing

Made the mouse move and that...

It's... it's... It's completely false.

Yeah, but you've got it right now.

And you can do this.

I'm taking some time off.

First Carter, now this. It's too much.

It's... it's too much, Perry.

[ Sighs ]

[ Knock on door ]

Yeah?

It's time for a test.

Has amps finished checking everything yet?

Yeah. He's done.

All right.

Um, let me wrap this stuff up while he does the pre-test,

And then I'll... actually, amps is sitting this one out.

It's just you and me.

I see.

Need your help.

All right.

Okay.

Killing Jenny.

Killing susie.

Board is up.

How are the levels?

Susie's at 94. Jenny's at 97.

Let's put the specimen on.

Live.

Clear the table.

Table's clear.

Priming susie.

Priming Jenny.

You ready?

Yeah.

Here we go.

No way.

Killing power. [ Machine powers down ]

What are you doing?

Working.

I built the machine.

You can't just run it without me... without asking me!

We moved forward.

You had no right to move forward!

[ Monitor beeping ] [ Chuckles ]

Goddamn.

[ Telephone ringing ]

Carter.

Hey, I-i-i know you're mad. Perry, I -

- you have every right to be, but, hey, we... we did it.

- What? - The machine. [ Chuckles ]

The... the machine works. Oh, my God.

I don't even know what to say.

I-I congratulations.

[ Laughs ]

We're gonna publish, and I want...

I-I, you know, I need you here.

- What? - Please.

Perry.

[ Laughs ]

I'm really sorry.

[ Sighs ] I know.

Yeah, okay.

[ Birds chirping ]

See, it wasn't just cell oxidation

That was fouling us up.

We also needed the rapid regeneration

In order for it to work.

So what we essentially did was we gave the system a jump start,

Forcing the rabbit's cells into a rapid mitosis

And causing them to multiply at an extremely accelerated rate, a-and, um...

Uh, and it worked.

[ Chuckles ]

Well, you don't care how it...

It just worked.

Well, it worked.

I didn't get to see it.

Um, so I guess what happens now?

We... we're...

Or, I guess... I guess we're done, right?

[ Sighs ]

It's... it's alive.

The rabbit... The rabbit's alive.

I...

I'm just so proud of everybody here.

Everyone.

I'm so happy Perry called.

It's really good to be back.

[ Laughing ]

[ Breathing deeply ]

This is it.

I know what I have to do next.

Hey.

What are you doing?

Leaving.

No, you can't.

Why not? There's nothing else to do.

I might as well just get out of here.

No, we're... We're not finished.

Well, Perry is, okay?

And ultimately, it's his show.

We got a living subject. What's left?

Human test subjects.

[ Scoffs ]

Right. Humans.

Yes. M-make this project mean something.

Make it worthwhile.

- Do you have a body? - No.

Then stop talking, and get out of my room, please.

Amps, look. I know you.

You aren't satisfied.

You want the machine that you designed, that you built,

That would not exist without your hard work

To do more than this, to be more than this.

Perry's gonna publish.

And someday, someone else will

Finish the work that you started.

Can you honestly tell me that you are okay with that?

Don't be a stepping stone, amps.

You are better than that.

And I am better than that.

And this project deserves to go all the way.

Get me a body, and then we'll talk.

Perry's gonna shut us down.

I will get you a body, but we need to start work now.

Okay, just... Just remember, we get...

We get one test per subject, and you need to listen to me.

I need you to listen to me.

Yes. I will.

Remember, you and I are on our own now.

Okay.

We're gonna need a bigger test area,

A stronger current, and work on the jump system.

We're gonna need a rapid oxidation system...

Something new. Something better.

Now, I know what makes the thing tick,

But I don't have the technical skill you have to make it happen.

So tell me what you need, and I will get it for you.

It's only a matter of time till we're discovered, so we need to move quickly.

Let's get this done.

[ Drill whirs ]

How's it coming? It should be just about up.

Okay, great.

Perry and Carter are pretty deep into writing,

But be careful with the sound.

There's a certain amount of noise

That comes with construction. No, I know. Just do your best.

I'm gonna take a glass of water

And some work in the living room.

If one of them heads for the garage,

I'm gonna drop it.

You listen for the break.

All right.

All right. Okay.

You're doing great work, amps.

We're almost there.

And, um, to this point,

All the rabbit's vitals are normal...

Blood pressure, et cetera, et cetera.

We'll put the data as a... As an appendix.

Attagirl.

You're up late.

Yeah.

Still writing.

Taking a break?

Just grabbing some things from the kitchen.

You know...

You're right.

It is on my mind.

The implications of the machine, what it could become.

Maybe not like you, but I-i do think about it.

I know.

You gonna get some sleep?

Soon.

[ Metal clanks ]

What was that?

What?

I heard something in the garage.

Really?

[ Glass breaks ]

Damn it, will you grab me a towel?

Get it yourself.

Hey... Perry.

Amps.

What are you doing in here?

I was just, you know, uh...

Devin!

Yeah?

What exactly is going on in here?

- We made it better. - Excuse me?

You want to run that by me again?

I got you what you needed. You have to let me try.

No, you went behind my back.

See, that's it. You're done.

This is my room now. Testing is over.

Perry, this project needs to...

No, I don't think you seem to understand.

See, this machine has already

Successfully re-animated an organism.

It's in the next room right now!

- Yeah, but it can... - The project is over!

Perry!

Perry.

Perry, stop.

Come on, this isn't right.

You want to push the parameters of this project exponentially

And... and... and ethically?

I'm telling you we simply cannot!

No, no, no, no, no. You will not.

Look, this is possible.

You're just putting limits on what we can achieve.

You just don't get it.

This project has never been about human mortality

Or... or self-preservation.

No, but this could be...

Look, what we have discovered is astounding.

A-and maybe someday, there will be human implications.

- Someday! - But if we try to push it there now,

It will never happen, ever. Perry.

We might as well just throw it away.

- Look, you owe me this. - Your sister is dead!

- No! - You can't save her!

I'm sorry, but that's life!

You try to bring a body in this house,

I'll have you arrested.

Aah!

[ Sobbing ]

[ Crickets chirping ]

[ Camera beeps ]

I'm sorry for what I'm about to do to you all.

I don't have any other choice.

[ Sighs ]

Katie passed two days ago.

[ Sighs ]

If this works, she's the first... Okay?

It's been an honor and a privilege

To work with each of you.

Perry, you put together a hell of a team.

[ Sighs ]

I know you didn't plan on making it this far, but...

I'm not gonna give you a choice.

I'm in the bathtub.

Hurry.

[ Footsteps running ]

[ Cries ]

One, two, three.

[ Both grunt ]

Amps, where are you?

- Making changes. - You know what are you doing?

Get this other strap.

[ Sobbing ]

[ Machine whirring ]

You know something?

You know it's gonna work.

You must have known.

How's it coming, amps?

30 seconds.

You're gonna thank me when you wake up.

Amps, what should I do?

The electrode panels in the back of the converter box.

Administering enzyme.

All right.

We're gonna have to go with rolling power on this one.

Carter, you're gonna have to count us up.

Ch-charge at 37%.

We've only got one shot at this.

Amps, are we ready? 42%.

Perry, I don't know.

Yes, you do know.

Think. Are we ready? 71%.

Yes. No, no, no, no!

I don't... I've never done this before!

- Listen to me. - 86%.

This is not a life on that table.

This is another test.

You got to think through this.

Break down the problem. Think through the steps.

Charge at 100%. Ready to go.

Drop the power down to 12.5%!

It's ready. It's ready.

God, I hope so.

[ Machine whirring ]

[ Rattling ]

[ Electricity crackling ]

Killing power!

[ Devices beeping ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

Let's get him off of here.

- Come on. - Come on. Devin.

- Devin. - Can you hear me?

Devin, it worked.

[ Laughing ] I knew you knew it would work.

We did it.

It works, huh?

- I knew you knew. - We did it.

- I knew you knew. - [ Chuckles ]

Devin, come on.

- Say something. - Devin.

Devin. Hey.

Mr. Devin?

Perry, what's wrong?

What happened?

Devin, s-say something.

[ Crying ] Can you say something?

Carter.

No, please, say something. Say anything.

Carter, he doesn't remember how to talk.

No! He knows how to talk!

This is a brilliant man!

He remembers how to talk!

Say something.

Devin is gone, Carter.

It's over.

Devin.

Take it all down.

No! [ Sniffles ]

Take it down!

The human brain is a fragile instrument.

We are all machines.

We run processes.

We recall files that are stored away in our memory.

We...

We're not immune to reformatting.

And that's scary.

That's sad...

To know that fact for certainty.

To stare it right in the face.

Yeah, our memories are what make us special,

Make us different.

Without them, we're nothing.

The project is over.

We have failed.

I...

I have failed.

[ Birds chirping ]