Sunday 3 February 2013

Surrogates (2009)



Film Information
Cast and Crew
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Written by: Michael Ferris & John D. Brancato (screenplay) based on graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele

Cast: Bruce Willis, Rosamund Pike and Radha Mitchell

Producers: Todd Arnow (co-producer) Elizabeth Banks (executive producer) Max Handelman (producer) David Hoberman (producer) Todd Lieberman (producer) David Nicksay (executive producer)

Production Companies: Touchstone Pictures, Mandeville Films, Top Shelf Productions, Wintergreen Productions


A Brief Synopsis

Based on a graphic novel from Top Shelf Comix.

Imagine a world sometime in the future where instead of humans living their lives through their own bodies they live them through robotic surrogates. Technology has advanced so much that people can link their bodies and brains up to their surrogate body to completely control and feel through them (all of which look exactly like humans, and can be made to look however you want, so everyone is perfect and beautiful) This was done to keep the humans them selves away from harm. Thanks to this new wave of technology crime rates have dropped to almost nothing. Not everyone lives through a surrogate though, as with any society there are people who rebel against the zeitgeist and believe humans should be humans. People start dying after their surrogates are destroyed (don't know what is the right term here as you can't really kill a robot?) and Tom Greer (Willis) a FBI cop is put on the case. This is an unusual twist on the typical Murder Mystery style, mixing it up with a sci-fi aspect. Can Greer find the killer before he destroys society as they know it or will he find the motives behind the killings are something he himself agrees with.

Watch the Film Trailer



 


Film Review

What I thought about it...

It's an interesting and strange concept for a future society (how do peoples minds come up with such weird things) but makes for a good story line. It is based on an old comic strip by the same name. The story is pretty straight forward, although it has some interesting twists, it's not complicated to follow, making it easy viewing for a wide audience. Although I wouldn't advise it for anyone too young due to the levels of violence in parts of it. As with most crime stories the audience is kept hooked by trying to work out who is behind the killings and why they are doing it. The truth is revealed through a very unexpected sequence of events. The story line is strong but the scripting isn't as good worse luck. It's a bit dodgy and can be quite weak at times. I feel the writer was trying too hard with the script which means alot of it is very unnatural. It feels very dated at times, like a cheese 90's film rather than a 2009 one.

The acting isn't really up to par either. Bruce Willis is a bit wooden compared to other roles he has played. Granted when he is a surrogate, the wooden nature is party of the role itself, but this extends to when he is not in surrogate mode. And the other actors don't really do much better sadly.

The filming is very well done though, with some great special effects, especially the robotics within the surrogates when they are damaged. Although the scene with the police surrogates being shot is a little silly, it looks so fake when it really could have been a lot better considering how well done other parts are.

There isn't really anything interesting to say about any other aspects of the film.


The Rating

I give this film a 6 out 10 rating. It is an OK sci-fi film, but the acting and scripting aren't that good. It's defining factors are good special effects and an interesting story/concept.

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