Talking Pictures

Rich Bonaduce reviews “Surrogates”

Rich’s Quickie:  Like its namesake, it has its good and bad points.

More Bias-revealing here; I thought I’d like this film, at least from the trailers.  Maybe that’s why I did – a little.  I wanted to like it more, but it has its problems.  But it also has its charms.  It reminded me a bit of those 80’s sci-fi/horror thrillers, like “They Live” or “The Hidden”; a nifty little story wrapped up by the end. The premise was a good one, but the execution was a bit substandard especially in the special effects/stunts departments.

At only 88 minutes, “Surrogates“ moves surprisingly slow at first. I wanted the backstory of Bruce Willis’ character to be a little more seamlessly integrated instead of being the obvious “slow part” of the movie wherein we learn about him and his past.  That might have allowed for his character to do a little more detective work and fill in some of the holes in the story in the latter half of the film; things seemed to come a bit too easily in his investigation, even with James Cromwell’s character helping him along.  I wanted him to not only earn his discoveries, but to possibly lose more near the end via his tough decision — possibly have a few more folks die before he foils the plans entirely and saves the world yet again.

I loved the premise, though; real people turn to mush while they live vicariously though surrogate androids that allow them to do all the things they couldn’t do in real life – at least not without a lot of work and a bit of risk.  I see tiny hints of this sort of thing even now; with kids telling me they can play guitar because they did it in Rock Band, or thinking they are martial arts experts because they win big in the latest video game.  Meanwhile, they know just enough to get laughed off a stage, or their ass kicked on any playground in the country. Unplug and go get some sun and take a lesson or two, for crying out loud.

Unfortunately, most of the budget probably went to Willis, Cromwell, and the online promotional arm, and it shows onscreen with the stunts in particular.  Also, because many of the main characters are surrogates of themselves, we are treated to some pretty stiff acting most of the time, al la Natalie Portman as the faux Queen Padmé Amidala.  Keeping all of this in mind, it’s still not a horrible time at the movies, but you do get the sense that it could have been so much better.

Rich’s Movie Grade: C

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing images, language, sexuality and a drug-related scene.

Directed by: Jonathan Mostow

Writers: Michael Ferris (screenplay) & John D. Brancato (screenplay as John Brancato), Robert Venditti (graphic novel), and Brett Weldele (graphic novel)

Tags: bonaduce review, bruce willis, surrogates
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