Surrogates

Starring: Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Ving Rhames, James Cromwell, Boris Kodjoe, Michael Cudlitz
Directed by: Jonathan Mostow
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Science Fiction, Thriller
2009

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: In the near future, when humanity uses robotic surrogates to move around the world while they sit comfortably at home, an unprecedented event occurs- a human is killed when his surrogate is destroyed. Two cops (Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell) begin investigating, and soon uncover a worldwide plot.

Review:

Tim: Surrogates is a movie about a possible near-future scenario that is fascinating to think about, but doesn't necessarily make a great movie. Indeed, director Jonathan Mostow gives us a seen-it-before, oftentimes boring, seemingly pointless movie. I was actually looking forward to this movie, but I was shocked to find how bland and boring this movie was. It is just impossible to care about this movie at all. The plot is silly, and this movie as a whole is disappointing.

I definitely love the concept of human beings never having to leave their homes, instead interacting through the use of robotic surrogates. This would obviously decrease crime, untimely death, diseases, and much more. It is truly interesting to consider and watch this possible future unfold on screen. I love the attempt here. However, I did not love the cliche-ridden, been-there-done-that plot. The plot is incredibly weak, far-fetched, and something we have seen countless times before. It leaves a great deal to be desired, and prevents you from becoming immersed in this world.

The cast is fine, but they are all hampered by the poor script. Bruce Willis is easily the best thing about this movie, although his character and dialogue prevent this from being one of his better roles. Seeing Willis as a surrogate was a bit laughable, but no one plays tough and gritty like Willis. I wish he had a better movie around him.

The supporting cast is decent. I liked the casting of Radha Mitchell, but I desperately wish she had something of substance to do. I liked seeing Rosamund Pike, and she did have a few dramatic moments, but again, she didn't make that big of an impact. Ving Rhames and James Cromwell were good additions, but I didn't love either one here. Rhames just looked too absurd, and Cromwell' impact was minimal. Willis really was going it alone in this movie, and that hurt the overall film.

I was very disappointed in how pointless this movie felt. The story was lukewarm at best. The characters were too one dimensional. I hated the film's many cliches (has every single cop in the world lost a child, or is it just me?) and how ineffective much of the film was. Sure, it is interesting to watch a few of the action sequences, but none of them were astounding. I liked the moments of watching the surrogates all fall down together in unison, but this was about fifteen seconds of the film. It was just impossible to get emotionally invested or be particularly intrigued by the story.

I wanted to like Surrogates because it is the type of movie I normally enjoy. However, Mostow and company made that nearly impossible. This is not an awful movie, but it is certainly a very large disappointment.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Hostage; I, Robot; Minority Report, 16 Blocks