Os Substitutos

Um filme meio-B de alto orçamento. Uma ideia interessante, uma alegoria da artificialidade da cultura contemporânea de shopping e de peróxido. Mas precisava de um argumentista mais ambicioso que escrevesse algo mais do que um petisco de ação rápido, fácil de vender graças a Bruce Willis. No filme encontram-se motivos familiares de Os Filhos do Homem (os rastas na margem da sociedade), oferece os atraentes visuais de alta tecnologia de Eu, Robot de Proyas, e quer ser tão severamente sério como Relatório Minoritário de Spielberg. Só que, em comparação com esses filmes, não se atreve a dar um único passo na sua própria direção, preferindo trabalhar com reviravoltas experimentadas, pretende ser inteligente por exagero desnecessário, e em pelo menos uma cena (final) é quase risível na impotência de argumento. O carácter de rasta de «Profeta» de Ving Rhames é embaraçoso; o próprio Bruce, como único elemento de ligação do espetador com o mundo real das pessoas vivas, está bem, mas infelizmente sem as frases e a leveza que poderiam ter aliviado agradavelmente toda a situação. (15/09/2009)

The square root of film adaptations of Phillip K. Dick, both the good and the bad ones. A generic and stupid sci-fi B-movie with a not stupid idea that the right hands could be the base of a new Blade Runner. In the end, it’s actually like Total Recall, but without the action. (05/10/2009)

If Mostow has been considered a solid craftsman up to now, he will now be considered a desperate routinist... and a thief to boot. As long as it still follows the popcorn rules à la I, Robot, we can enjoy the slightly B-movie atmosphere, which is carried by Willis's cynical smile and funny toupee. Then we get some mentoring according to Issac Asimov and Phillip K. Dick in the visual diction of Terminator 3 and everything goes to hell. It wouldn't have had to be this way if someone had bothered to add some extra runtime, given the characters some life, and if the film had at least one memorable scene. The result is the most ridiculous blockbuster of the year, which I predict will become a cult film in a few years and a must-have in the "guilty pleasure" collectors' kit. (23/10/2009)

I like positive sci-fi and because the genre has received a nice beating from fantasy in the last two decades, and pure sci-fi films are currently quite rare. I should thus appreciate any film not teeming with wizards, elves, dragons, or mythical powers. Unfortunately, a lot more is needed for a quality experience and one of the fundamental things I insist on is for the fantastic world to be logical and fully functional within its system. Unfortunately, Surrogates completely fails in this regard. Practically the whole film submits to the superficial spectacle with slick visuals, top-notch special effects, a star-studded cast, and an overall bombastic production. However, the screenplay is full of holes and I would have to completely turn off my brain for this spectacle to become bearable for me. Some films only take a part of their source material and forfeit deeper meaning, but if they function within their invented world, I have no major objections to a popcorn spectacle. But Mostow's world is built on nonsense. It is simply subservient to us watching flashy chases ending with a helicopter crash or robot surrogates jumping from one car to another. It is even more disappointing considering the involvement of several excellent actors and the wasted budget. Overall impression: 25%. (30/04/2010)

Bruce gave himself a nice old bit of action, but so why not, it didn't look awkward at all... only the hairpiece in the robo-creature was really funny... :-D I think it's a shame that the movie got such a low rating, I don't think it deserves it, but I get it. It's such a tired, long-winded, bland and flavorless film, even though it's only 88 minutes long. Which is a pity. For such a rip-off... ;-)) [SPOILER] And once again, everyone survived, and once again, Bruce was so awesome, brilliant and moral; coincidentally, the idea of wiping out 98% of the human population isn't so bad... X-D (24/10/2009)