A lot of people are starting to rumble on the increasing graphic novel fetish in Hollywood. They wonder where it will all end and you have to be honest that they may have a point. But what they must also realise is that the graphic novel is a different creature than it used to be and because you see another graphic novel adaptation does not guarantee you will see a superhero. I understand the fetish because graphic novels are an amazing source of material and one of the strongest places for creativity in the world today. Surrogates is the perfect example. A great idea that'll give you some deja vu if you have seen or read I Robot but good enough to stand alone.
I haven’t read the graphic novel but I can tell this would be close enough. Surrogates is a great concept that translates into a good film. Director Jonathon Mostow gives the slow ones in the audience a head start with a very detailed backstory on the world we are about to enter in th opening credits. A world where we no longer venture out into every day life but live it via robots (Surrogates) that are perfect version of what we want to be. We see the real life counterparts to each machine and we see how the would ideally view themselves.The surrogates that we see all have that plastic sheen to them and that artificial feel to their looks and movements which is a great touch. Mostow does well in making the world compatible to the story. As you see all the things that would happen in a world where surrogates were used.
The film thrives on its special effects especially Bruce Willis’s surrogate which has been de aged by about ten years to around about the times of the Sixth Sense. His look is artificial but I believe that’s intended . We see the robot Willis as an FBI agent who with partner Radha Mitchell chase the first murder where a surrogate was killed along with it’s human user as well. This sends shock into the world of Surrogacy as it is pitched as the safest way to live. Obviously you know there is a conspiracy and the Bruce will uncover it. The fun really starts to kick in when Bruce Willis’ surrogate is destroyed and he has to venture out in the flesh. Here we see Bruce at his real life grizzled best. The goatee, the baldness and of course the scars. It’s not Bruce Willis if he’s not bleeding, hurting but still fighting.
This is a good film but the real mover is and always will be Bruce Willis. He is the man that can take it all and still push ahead. He is the epitome of tough and when you see him hurt you hurt as well because you know it has to be bad if Bruce is feeling it. The cast that back it up are good but not stand outs. We have Radha Mitchell as the partner, James Cromwell who is now being typecasted as the robot inventor, Ving Rhames as the revolutionary who hates robots and Rosumund pike as Bruce wife who is losing her humanity to surrogacy. This is the most interesting relationship of the film and grounds it so we don’t get lost in the Sci-fi aspect too much. The interactions between Pike and Willis bring the human side to a robot existence. Very well written interactions show you the downside of living virtually through a robot.
The only downside to this film is that what I mentioned about Deja vu. There are parts where you are sure you have seen it before. The designs are greats but not groundbreaking. The look of the film is definitely inspired by Spielberg and A.I with a bit of Minority report thrown in. Also the I Robot comparison is logical because of the subject matter. But good thing T3 director Jonathan Mostow paces the film well enough that you are not given too much time to think about it as the action rolls smoothly from one scene to the next. The idea of Surrogates is handled well and truthfully as you see a world that is possible with all the Second Life systems popping up everywhere. Very Well thought out and honest in its approach. But in the end this is a Bruce Willis actioner and it lives up to it well. But it’s a serious one so don’t expect too many Willis Quips . Good fun and fast paced this is a film that will ring true to you whilst keeping you entertained. That is all I wanted from it.
SPOILER ALERT -Be careful watching the trailer to this film as it gives far too much away. You have been warned
