Subtitles required?

If we were to understand what the machines are saying the movie would be (even more?) predictable. The machines communicate telephatically. The humans in the movie can't hear them. Their language is just there to let the viewers know that they are communicating.

Wrong, subtitles are not required.

Their 'speech' is a mix of verbal and transmitted code. A big part of the plot revolves around the fact that the biomechs are trying to conceal that they can communicate.

I disagree I think enough emotion was shown to warrant subtitles for the machine speak. If anyone has seen this on DVD can they verify if subtitles are provided for the machine speaking parts? Thanks!

Also explains why the soldiers with the implants eventually lose their ability to communicate verbally after some time...they simply switch to machinglish to prevent the humans from understanding them.

I've seen the movie and nowhere does it explain your not supposed to know the language. Two machines talking to one another on screen and not being able to understand the conversation makes no sense. It also doesn't answer the question of the DVD including subtitles or not.

There's a video called "Inside The Machine" on the bluray release which is a mix of interview segments with some of the leads, the director and writer. During this, the director describes the audible 'MachinEnglish' as remarkably clever plot device but offers no explanation as to why. The bluray has just one sub-title choice "English: For the Deaf or Hearing Impaired" which does provide transcriptions for AI speech such that viewers can follow the "agenda of the machines" sub-plot. Unfortunately the transcriptions cease just before the "flaming execution" scene. After that it's all sub-titled as "Indistinct Chatter" or some equivalent.

During each interview everyone raves about their reaction to initially reading the script. The lead actor also goes on to say that the script was modified during filming to maintain the pace and other reasons. The script changes might explain why there are no 'MachinEnglish' transcriptions past that scene in the film. I've searched for and requested a copy of the original, final or 'limited to AI transcription' script but have found none and no replies from any requests. This (among other things) could have added value to the bluray release but, like 99%+ other releases, no value is added via Internet connectivity.

Ultimately this sub-plot/plot-device seems more like a plot-hole since none of the 'mute' soldiers or guards are shown communicating in writing or typed text or even carrying such things to relay information if/when necessary. The British MOD is fine with having armed guards that can't/won't communicate with non-cyborgs stroll about their facility? This is less likely than the fictional science of the film.

PS, thanks for the +1 to my vocabulary.
glossolalia
n 1: repetitive non-meaningful speech

The machine talk is not subtitled, we are not supposed to understand them.

Watched it last night,actually think the movie would not have had the build-up of tension it had if we knew what the augments were saying. Personally I think that the whole point is that it wasnt discovered by the humans that the augments could communicate until they took over. Loved the whole movie.

I totally thought not having subtitles was a good way to go. It helped build suspense. You knew something was going to go down, but didn't know what. Really good movie, IMO.

"Incredible how people just want everything chewed on their mouths."

Not sure what this means...maybe spoon fed.

Anyway, yeah, subtitles would have worked. Otherwise we watch those scenes wondering, "Hey, is this movie that I downloaded illegally supposed to have subs?"