What if all crime and disease could be eliminated? All humans would need to do is trade their active lives for sitting at home and living their time through the eyes of their robot doppelgangers. This is the world of Surrogates.
Logline
Technology has evolved to the point that humans no longer worry about interacting with each other. Surrogate robots are everywhere, while the human operators sit at home in the safety of staying indoors.
When FBI agent Greer and Peters catch a case where the human operators of two surrogates were killed through their robotic duplicates, the safety of society is at stake. The growing movement of riding the world of the surrogates has brought Greer’s attention to the leader of the human movement, the Prophet.
The further Greer dives into the case the more he questions the use of his own surrogate. When Greer is forced to investigate without his surrogate, only then does he realize how much is really at stake if he doesn’t find the killer. The only problem is that the killer might be closer than he thought.
High Praise
I initially had little expectations for the film. I remember it being a box office disaster in North America and quickly fading from the multiplexes. Having watched the film, I am quite pleased with the story.
The idea of isolating ourselves from the world while our robotic duplicates do all our interactions is very appealing. After living through the lockdowns of COVID, I feel like Surrogates is quite prescient of human needs. Being able to avoid the danger but still live an active life is very appealing.
Bruce Willis plays Greer with restraint which is just what the character needs. He doesn’t overact or try to bring in a John McClane vibe to the role. The star of the movie is the concept. Willis makes Greer the everyman who has a conscience and learns that living life through robot replicants is wrong.
What Were They Thinking
James Cromwell is a great actor and I love his work, but he always seems to play the scientist who invents the savior technology of the future, only to realize that it’s bad. Perhaps another actor could step into this type of role?
Ving Rhames needed more screen time for his Prophet.
Rosamund Pike’s Maggie needed more dialogue and screen time. I am thankful for the additional scenes brought in from the original story outline. However, exploration of their marriage would have helped humanize Greer. Plus, every movie needs more Rosamund Pike.
Backlot Knowledge
- The film takes place in 2017.
- Apparently, Bruce Willis was unwilling to record some additional dialogue, so a sound-alike voice actor was brought in to fill the needed tracks.
- This was Jonathan Mostow’s first film since 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
- Most of the film was shot on location in Lynn, Massachusetts.
- Disney may have known the film was going to bomb before releasing it. They did not screen the movie for critics prior to its release.
- The movie is based on the popular comic series The Surrogates.
- Roger Ebert gave the film 2 ½ stars. He liked it but felt the movie devolved into silly action scenes too quickly.
- The movie did open in the number 2 spot on its opening weekend at the North American box office.
Critical Response
{Snub-Skip this Film, Overexposed-Desperate for Something to Watch, Money Shot-A Perfect Film For Any Device, Magic Hour– You Must Watch This Film on a Big Screen, Award Worthy– This Film is Cinema.}
Surrogates is not a great film, but it has a good story that anyone who spent time worrying through the COVID pandemic will identify with. The concept of the movie is great, the execution is good, and the performances are good.
Will Surrogates change your life? No. However, you will enjoy it and that is why the movie will get the Money Shot award from me. No matter the device you watch it on, Surrogates will entertain you.
Call Sheet
- Bruce Willis as Greer
- Rosamund Pike as Maggie
- James Cromwell as Canter
- Ving Rhames as The Prophet
- Radha Mitchell as Peters
Productions Team:
Directed by Jonathan Mostow
Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Mandeville Films / Brownstone Productions
Written by Michael Ferris, John Brancato, Robert Venditti
Release Date: September 25, 2009
Budget: $80 million
Domestic Box Office Gross: $38,577,772
Worldwide Box Office Gross: $122,444,772
Coming Attractions
What would you do for the apartment of your dreams? Would you marry someone you don’t know if the marriage helped you secure it? That idea is explored in next week's look back at Green Card.