SURROGATES 2.0*** This is one of those movies with a very interesting concept…what if humans could purchase your own idealized life-like, version of a robot..i.e. a ‘surrogate” through which you could live and experience life vicariously. In simplest term, "surrogates" are physical robots that do not have robot minds , they are run by actual human beings ("operators") via a remote control technology. The operators sit in a dental-type chair and wear mental caps to control their surrogates. The idea is to allow the operators to enjoy and experience all the sights, sounds and sensations without being placed in physical risk . In this story 98% of humans have surrogates and they are so common they are sold in stores, such as Wal-Mart or Target, as any other consumer item (clothes, for example) and they come in a wide range of quality from the crudest model that look like mannequins to some that look just like real human beings. Some owners have just one model that are visual replicas of themselves. while others (the rich, obviously) may have a dozen surrogates all of different shapes and sizes as they have cars. It’s a world populated with beautiful, gorgeous surrogates who look just like humans…I would have loved to have been the Casting Director for this film. An interesting, even fascinating concept. But, as is often the case, the concept gets lost in a far too complicated, convoluted story. Too bad…”it coulda been a contender”.

Bruce Willis stars as both the older human FBI Agent and his younger, glamorized surrogate. He and his female partner are investigating the murder ( the first murder in many years) of two people whose deaths occurred simultaneously with the destruction of their surrogate bodies which is NOT supposed to happen. This leads to a plot involving a mysterious new weapon and a mad genius intent on mass murder. Meanwhile Willis' character re-discovers what it means to be human when his surrogate is destroyed and he’s not allowed to get a replacement. The likely suspects are in a special segregated enclave within the city where humans who are anti-surrogates live and it is off-limits for surrogates.


While this one one is an interesting movie, it is not really worth the today’s cost of a movie theatre ticket, but it might be worth the cost of a rental IF you like soft SCI-FI and Bruce Willis.

Clark