On February 25, 2014, Barack Obama, the former president of the United States of America, said, “Basically, I’m here to announce that we’re constructing Iron Man.” I’m going to take off right now.”
This sounded improbable at the time, but now, a car manufacturer is utilising exoskeletons for its employees, researchers and physicians are using exoskeletons to treat stroke sufferers, and many militaries are contemplating deploying exoskeletons for soldiers in actual battle. The idea of an exoskeleton comes from nature; for example, a snail’s shell is an exoskeleton.
It’s strong, durable, and shields the poor tiny creature. Can you fathom how beneficial something like that would be to a person? We don’t have to fantasise because a slew of fantastic films have featured enthralling and merciless exoskeletons and mech-suits. These high-tech suits improve the wearer’s strength, speed, and stamina while lowering the chance of injury.
Some suits come with built-in weapons and high-octane ammo, while others come with energy-beam cannons, and so much more! We’ll take you on a mind-blowing adventure in this video, where we’ll look at some of the most outrageously strong exoskeletons and mech-suits seen in movies!
EDGE OF TOMORROW (2014) – COMBAT JACKETS
Earth has been attacked by an invincible extraterrestrial species that no world force has been able to defeat. Major William Cage is put in the thick of the battle in these instances. Major Cage has no prior combat or fighting experience, and this uninvited assignment proves to be his first and last.
Cage somehow resurrects moments after his death and finds himself trapped in a time loop. Every day, he’ll have to face the same battle. He battles, dies, and then comes back to life. In an endless loop, over and over again. Although, with each battle he learns a bit more about his adversaries and fights better in the next battle.
There has been a recent victory against the aliens, called Mimics, in France where the United Defence Forces used mechanized combat jackets for its soldiers. Cage meets Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski, who also happens to share Major Cage’s ability. Together, they keep getting closer to the enemy and take the battle to the unrelenting aliens.
In this extraterrestrial vs. human flick, Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt’s sole weapons against the adversary are their ability to resurrect after being killed and the extremely awesome Combat Jackets stuffed with weapons and explosives. To sprint quicker, jump to tremendous heights, lift and push big items, Tom and Emily don these metal jackets. A computerised visor is included with the suit, which identifies hostiles in the area.
High-calibre assault rifles, such as the SCAR-H 7.62 mm, triple barrel cannons, and grenade launchers, can be used to reduce these enemies to ash. If you know how to utilise combat jackets properly, they are a thing of beauty. The suits come in three forms based on their weights. The standard variant is called Grunt, the lighter one is called Dog and the heavier one is called Tank.
The suit is any soldier’s wet dream but has a few issues arising due to its weight and make. The weighty suit almost drowns the cage. While the suit makes you faster and deadlier, it doesn’t fully protect you; although the Tank version has a few metal plates for extra protection. The Combat Jackets are charged with replaceable batteries without which the suit doesn’t function and the soldier is immobilized.
THE WOLVERINE (2013) – SILVER SAMURAI ARMOR
Wolverine is saddened by Jean’s death at his hands, and the emotional wound has not healed despite the passage of time. Logan is approached by a young girl who is the granddaughter of a Japanese soldier whose life was spared by Wolverine during WWII.
She begs him to accompany her to see the dying man, who also happens to be the CEO of a large computer firm. The military veteran begs Logan to keep his granddaughter safe before he dies. At the funeral, there is an elaborate attempt to kidnap the young girl, and Logan comes to her rescue.
To add to the miseries, we see that Logan’s regenerative and healing powers are not at their peak. There’s a larger conspiracy at hand here and Logan finds himself in the midst of the Yakuza, ninjas and a ruthless killing machine named the Silver Samurai Armor.
The Silver Samurai Armor’s powers are at the heart of this Hugh Jackman blockbuster. It was the villain’s only means of advancing their goals. We’ll skip the spoilers and get directly to one of the most iconic Armors in the X-Men universe! Silver Samurai Armor is entirely made of Adamantium, one of the MCU’s most powerful metals.
Wolverine’s skeleton is constructed of the same metal as the adamantine Armor, thus he can confront it. The metal makes the suit largely invulnerable and indestructible, but it has a flaw in that individual parts can be snapped off when hit at the joints. Let’s not get anywhere close to those swords.
The suit has a regenerative life support system that preserves the wearer’s body in a cryogenic state and has limited healing powers. The Armor based on an ancient design has one last little bag up its sleeves, like literally up its sleeves. It can extract biological material and fluids from a mutant in order to get the mutant’s powers and these powers are gained by the person wearing the Silver Samurai Armor.
AVATAR- (2009) “AMPLIFIED MOBILITY PLATFORM”
In a journey to the faraway world of Pandora, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully takes his brother’s place. He arrives at Pandora, which is 4.3 lightyears from Earth. He arrives on Pandora and falls in love with Neytiri, a Na’vi.
The mission he is on has been called by one Parker Selfridge who plans something disastrous. Jake will have to make a tough choice and decide if he wants to fight a battle that will change the way history will be written.
Amplified Mobility Platforms, or AMPs, are used by people. These are exoskeletons used by the military for defence and patrols. The AMP suits are shown in their full grandeur in the Assault on Tree of Souls.
Humans control these multifunctional mechanised suits, which include a few automated functions such as a “walk-back” option if the pilot is injured. This suit, like others of its kind, provides the operator with enhanced strength and agility as well as protection from environmental and weapon dangers.
But, remember, Avatar was a James Cameron picture, and there will be more with whatever we see on the big screen. It is almost as if the suit and its operator feel each other. The suit is 4 meters high but still has very agile parts and extremely dexterous hands that allow it to perform all functions that an infantry soldier would perform.
It also dawned multiple weapons-systems like a 3-foot-long AMP knife and the GAU-90. It is a 30mm hip-fired autocannon that can fire 250 armor-piercing rounds per minute. Avatar comes abundant with visually striking scenes, and this gargantuan soldier-like kill machine justifies the film.
ELYSIUM(2013) – THE EXOSUIT
The year is 2154, and the world has reached a point of no return. The affluent dwell in Elysium, a space station with all comforts and resources, while the poor are forced to survive on a shattered earth. The affluent and the destitute are separated by a wide chasm.
Secretary Delacourt is a government official who is hell-bent on tightening immigration restrictions for the world’s poorest people, while also plotting a coup against the government.
Max da Costa is a man out on parole and works in unhealthy conditions. He comes in contact with a chemical that will kill him in a matter of days unless he goes to Elysium and uses the high-tech medical facilities there. Although, this path is filled with obstacles, and the whole machinery will work against him.
Max is played by Matt Damon, who is fitted with an exoskeleton that gives him the power of a robot. The Exoskeleton provides him the strength and speed he needs to combat the droids and government operatives trying to assassinate him.
The most intriguing aspect of the tale is that this Exoskeleton is based in part on the Human Universal Load Carrier (HULC), which was created by Ekso Bionics and Lockheed Martin and is pronounced HULK! These were designed for military use in real-world combat.
Matt’s Exoskeleton is a more advanced form of HULC, with arm braces and supports for the spine and chest. It also has a certain connection with the brain by the use of a chip. This is an incredibly relatable and realistic mechanized bodysuit, something that doesn’t feel like elevated science-fiction but an enhanced technology level that’s achievable in the near future.
ALIENS (1986) – POWER LOADERS
When a salvage vessel discovers Ellen Ripley, she awakens after a 57-year slumber. She is the lone survivor of an extraterrestrial attack that occurred on the moon HV-426. She is mocked for her claim that she discovered aliens on the moon, and she later discovers that the moon has been inhabited.
Later, when all connections with the crew working on HV-426 are cut off, Ripley must act as a guide and escort for some tougher-than-tough space marines. This time she plans a full-blown attack on the deadly aliens.
In the film, Ripley leads a group of Colonial Marines. They also bring a number of mounted weapons and artillery to HV-426. The P-5000 Powered Work Loader, a similarly massive exoskeletal crane, loads the heavy equipment into the ship. These sophisticated devices can increase a pilot’s weight-lifting capability by thousands of times.
Weights of up to a few thousand kilos can be readily lifted. The mech-arms tool’s are hydraulically powered, and the munitions or payload is controlled by a joystick. James Cameron has paid great attention-to-detail when he featured this highly efficient piece of machinery in his film. It is based on the principles of physics and it is not some mindless human-crane.
A fully weaponized version of the P-5000 was supposed to appear in the 2013 PlayStation and X-Box game called Aliens: Colonial Marines, but it could never see the light of day. James Cameron’s Aliens has a cult following for the classic film that it is, and the P-5000 has the luxury of a similar reputation. One can find many toys, figurines and collectibles of the dextrous machine. We hope you find one too.
GUYVER (1991) – BIO ARMOR
Dr. Tetsu Segawa works as a researcher for the Kronos Corporation, a secretive corporation. Max Reed, a CIA operative, is seen assassinating him. The murder occurs after Dr. Segawa steals The Guyver, an extraterrestrial technology from Kronos Corporation. Sean Barker discovers The Guyver’s lair. Sean is Dr. Segawa’s daughter’s boyfriend.
The Guyver later merges with Sean’s body, transforming him into a cyborg. The Kronos Corporation is actually an organisation of the Zoanoids, these are mutated creatures and not completely human. The Guyver further fuses with Sean and gives him a bio-armor. The zoanoids will stop at nothing to get The Guyver back, while Sean discovers a dark secret about the intentions of Kronos Corporation.
Bio armors, also known as Guyver Units, are multipurpose suits that enhance the host body’s physical characteristics, allowing it to attain its full biological, physical, and genetic potential. The suit also rearranges and alters the function of the organs. Guyver Units enhance the host’s metabolism by increasing oxygen levels in the blood.
They’re also semi-sentient, which means that if a host is unable to defend themselves, the Guyver Unit takes over and fights for the host’s safety. The major ability of the Bio Boosted Armor is biological augmentation, which may be done in a variety of ways. The host gains extraordinary speed, endurance, power, and reflexes. The accelerated healing and regenerative power take care of injuries.
The Armor gives the ability to emit strong sound wave vibrations that can shatter enemy weapons into molecules. An infrared laser can be launched from the head, this laser is made of pure heat energy. Then there is a particle beam cannon with vast amounts of power that can be launched from the chest. These suits don’t come with any external attachments of weaponry but they do something better, they turn the host and their body parts into ultimate weapons.
DISTRICT 9 (2009) – THE MECH PRAWN
In 1982, aliens arrived on Earth in a huge spaceship. They land in Johannesburg, South Africa, but not with the aim of conquering the planet or murdering its inhabitants. They’ve come because their home planet is on the verge of extinction, and they’re looking for a safe haven.
Humans welcomed them and assigned them to District-9. Multi-National United has trapped and exploited these aliens, known as The Prawns, for their technology 28 years later. The refugee camp of District-9 has been converted into a militarized ghetto camp. Wikus van der Merwe who is an operative of the Multi-National United, is exposed to an alien chemical and is now dependent on The Prawns for survival.
The Prawns have highly automated bio armour that they utilise for a variety of tasks. These suits can be used to fight, defend, create structures, and repair ships. For assaulting the hostiles, the suit has a variety of weapons and ammo.
It has rocket launchers, a machine gun, an Advanced Rifle Cartridge gun that fires electrical streaks, and a metal spike that electrically charges hostiles and causes them to explode. When the hostiles have been defeated, the suit transforms into a protective barrier for the host. When the host is injured or busy, the suit’s autopilot mode comes in useful.
One unique feature about the suit is that it can only be used by someone who has the Prawn DNA in them. In one of the scenes, the suit launches a telekinetic field that absorbs and controls all incoming bullets and ammo. When the field became strong enough, all these incoming bullets were fired from mid-air back at the hostiles with great accuracy. This sweet piece of alien technology is a deadly nightmare if you’re the bad guy.
MATRIX REVOLUTIONS (2003) – Armored Personnel Unit, a.k.a APU
Neo finds that he can utilise his abilities both in the physical world and in the Matrix. His consciousness has broken away from his body, and he now finds himself stranded on a train station that connects the two realms. Meanwhile, Zion prepares for an impending battle, but its odds of surviving and winning are slim.
Neo gets captured by the Merovingian, and Neo’s team makes a plan to extract him back. It is believed that Neo is, in fact, The One, who will ultimately end the war between humans and the machines. Although, there is a larger threat looming, and it comes from someone who is planning on destroying both worlds.
This cult classic science fiction film stars Keanu Reeves and has strong and exciting action sequences. Machines are used by humans to fight back against machines. As a result, we must present you to The Armored Personnel Unit, or APU, which was created as a battle mech-suit based on hydraulics principles.
Each arm of the suit is equipped with 30mm rapid-fire guns. To protect Zion against swarms of Sentinels, this 14-foot-tall killing machine was utilised. The AMU is a light-weight fighting exoskeleton that is completely controlled by the operator. The adversary is shredded to bits by the 30mm cannon, which shoots incessantly.
The targeting system is manual and is not controlled by a screen or a joystick, this gives the pilot of the Exoskeleton more independence and accuracy when battling in close combat. Although, the protection given by AMU’s is not much as it was predominantly designed to be on the offensive side rather than the defensive one.
If we look closely, it seems like the power-loader utility exoskeleton from Aliens of 1986 is the predecessor to AMUs and the AMP suits from Avatar are its successors.
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra – Delta-6 Accelerator Suit
In this film directed by Stephen Sommers, the Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity, or G. I. Joe battles an evil organisation known as Cobra. G.I. Joe’s elite death squad and troops travel with state-of-the-art military and spy technologies whenever and wherever they are called upon.
General Hawk and Duke, along with the rest of their crew, take on Destro, a corrupt arms dealer, in this film. GI Joe are tasked with safeguarding nanotech warheads that have the capability of destroying cities, while Cobra has a detailed plan of taking over the world. Duke will have to rise up and prove that he is the real American hero.
The Delta-6 Accelerator Suit is a battle suit that improves and amplifies a soldier’s fighting ability in battle. It increases the pilot’s speed, strength, and agility. Turbo-hydraulics at the soldier’s feet and knees improve the running pace of these artificial exoskeleton suits.
These pneumatics can also be used to break down masonry walls and other barriers. On one wrist, there’s a tiny rocket launcher, and on the other, there’s a pistol. It includes a laser sight for targeting and a six-barreled submachine gun that can fire up to 50 rounds per second using 10 mm ammunition.
The helmet comes with an integrated computer device that interacts with the pilot to make better strategies and action plans. Channing Tatum, who plays Duke, wears one of these in France. The suit is bullet-proof and light weight. Interestingly, these suits also appear in the Rise of Cobra video game. If you are a GI Joe fan, there are plenty of collectibles you can find around you.