Surrogates (Movie Review)
Real life...only better? Well, that's the idea...
This will be quick.
I saw a quick teaser trailer of “Surrogates” and I was somehow led to believe this would be a high-velocity, action-packed movie. There is action, but this is definitely more of a sci-fi drama than an action movie. That being said, Bruce Willis was attached to it, so I had a certain standard I expected the movie to be to.
The Good: It reached the standard I had expected. The plot was solid and interesting, even if it was somewhat creepy when you consider that something like this could EASILY happen to us in the next 10 years the way we’ve been advancing technology.
The acting was also solid all-around. Bruce Willis did a good job of playing his character. The effects were also nicely done in the flow of the movie, and it’s easy for you to tell the difference between the real humans and the surrogates thanks to an almost “Barbie Doll/ Ken Doll” effect added to them. Although the movie ended the way it did, it CLOSED the movie, and I appreciated that because SOME movies don’t know how to do that (ahem, “9”, cough-cough)
The Bad: …It reached the standard I expected, and that was it. It was nothing more, and arguably much less. The script was OK, but this felt like one of those “plug-n-play” movies, meaning you could’ve had anybody play ANY role in this movie and it would’ve had the same effect. There could’ve been way more plot developments (although there was a NICE twist about halfway through the movie, but now that you’re expecting it, you’ll see it coming by the time it hits you), and there basically could’ve been so much more done with this story.
To be honest, there’s STILL a lot that can be done with this story, but you’ll realize this after you see the movie. I’m trying not to ruin it for you.
He didn't blow people up, but he did kill about 10 billion "people" at the same time... Not a spoiler, I promise. Watch the movie to know how.
The Aging Hero: This is one of the few movies nowadays that shows an older hero. Usually movies are laced with young, vibrant heroes, but this movie goes a different route. It makes perfect sense in the movie, but this also comes into play with the action scenes as well…
HOWEVER, Bruce Willis does play this part well, and the drama of the situation comes in HEAVY when he’s interacting with his wife, who never comes out of her room and lives her daily life through her surrogate. The situations that are revealed through this original difference brings out more underlying truths that are more real than most people would want to believe. I liked the touch there. But as I said, that’s the DRAMA aspect of the movie, not the action.
Bottom Line: The movie is ok. It’s not the best movie out, but there are worse movies as well. That’s not a fault to the actors or the introduction to the movie. There were just opportunities to do more with the movie on the action part, and they chose not to. Because of that, and because of the way the movie’s being marketed, it will disappoint some people. If you like sci-fi drama with a little action, then check it out. If that seems out of order to you, just wait until the DVD release to check out Surrogates.
—–> Final Rating 3.3 / 5 <—–
Randomness: Who’s idea was it to make the surrogates look like Mattel dolls?… how weird would it be if in ten years this actually becomes an option… technically, that means everyone could be black… just like the guy in the movie…Bruce Willis didn’t blow up a car this movie. Sad day… If you live through the surrogates and can’t disengage until they’re “put away”, then how exactly are you aware enough to snatch the mind-sensors off, Mr. Bruce Willis? Small loophole…
