"Machine Head" is a strange Frankenstein kind of story. While obviously low budget (it looks like someone’s college project) and campy it does several things right. It was created sometime between 2000 and 2004 (different sources list different dates).

Max is a nerd nobody likes. Beat up and spurned by peers and family he is about to test a theory that could gain him the respect of the world. He uses a lawnmower engine to bring a corpse to life. It results in tragedy, but he’ll turn it into triumph by using his creation to take out the bullies that have plagued him. The monster goes on a killing rampage but begins becoming aware of its nature and choices of morality. 

The first thing it gets right is the walking corpse. I really liked the guy playing it though he is a complete unknown having no other movie credits I can find. He would have been the ideal choice in any movie, budget or not. He manages to look dead yet animated. The next thing is that the story doesn’t go in a predictable direction, at least not for a slasher-oriented horror movie. It does kind of stick to the "Frankenstein" concepts, but I expected a flatter must-stop-the-killer kind of story like "Friday The 13th."

Despite all that it’s still low budget and shows it. The acting often comes off like a high school stage play. The effects aren't bad for a low budget flick but would never stand up to the scrutiny of the average Summer blockbuster patron. The soundtrack is typical synthesizer campiness.

One thing that helps it is its dark humor. I mean come on, the monster runs around with a lawnmower engine strapped to his head! The intended humor steals much of the negativity the weaker aspects of the production might generate. So if you're going to check this out you need to be able to enjoy low-budget works. You'll also need to be forgiving about how much of its story this borrows from other works, however if you like those kinds of stories especially mixed with dark comedy this is probably worth seeing.