Surrogates

Disney

R4 DVD

Surrogates is an intelligent and intriguing working of science fiction with Bruce Willis at the lead. There has been much criticism of Willis as being an “over-used” action star and being beyond his prime. In Surrogates I believe his age actually works for him since he plays a detective jaded with the artificiality of the robotic surrogate he is forced to used and eager to accept his life (and age) for what it is.

Willis plays the role of Detective Greer who while using a surrogate in everyday life feels something has been lost by their use. He does not like the artificiality of using a “robotic mask” and while not siding with the revolutionaries who fight against them appreciates their cause.

In the near future technology has taken the concept of the online presence and matched it with robotics to create robotic humans known as surrogates. They were originally designed for use by the disabled and to resolve issues relating to discrimination. However very quickly they became the consumer item everyone had to have. Soon everyone has one; working, partying, shopping and playing via a robotic surrogate which is encoded with their identity via a ID chip. You stay at home in the safety of your own virtual reality chair while you experience the world through your double.

Since free enterprise has control of the business end, you can choose whatever body you like. Everyone looks young and beautiful and has enhanced abilities. Not everyone is impressed by this development but since the anti-surrogate groups are in a minority they like in their own ghettos and are represented by The Prophet.

Surrogates are built for wear and tear, you can use and abuse them and when they are worn out or destroyed they get replaced. Even destroying a surrogate is simply defined as property damage.

But when FBI Agents Greer and Peters are called in to investigate the destruction of two surrogates, they get a real shock. It seems that a high tech weapon has been used that not only blows out the brains of the surrogate but kills its operator was well. The investigation is complicated by the fact that one of the murder victims was the son of Lionel Canter who designed the Surrogates but resigned when he saw that they would be used as machines for entertainment rather than for the greater good.

Mixing together an interesting debate about the limits of technology with a detective tale this is an impressive sci-fi story. There are all sorts of themes within this film ranging from addictions to technology, the role of big business in policing and the acceptance of diversity including old age and death.

Bruce Willis as the jaded cop and James Cromwell as Lionel Carter are stand-out characters, but all the acting is solid. We could criticize The Prophet played by Ving Rhames as being two-dimensional and sounding like a madman. But when we later realize he is a surrogate manipulated for political purposes his bizarre dialog comes to have significance within terms of the greater conspiracy. The sub plot about Greer’s emotional difficulties with his wife over the death of their child is well told and explains why someone may escape into the world of a surrogate.

The CGI and special effects are well done and Surrogates while not perfect explores some fascinating themes in an effective manner.

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No. 2 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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