Replicas is what nightmares are made of (not in a good way)

Replicas : 1 star

US | Thriller | Scifi | Action

Cast: Keanu Reeves; Alice Eve; Thomas Middleditch; John Ortiz;

Duration: 107 mins

Release: Jan 2019

Plot: (Wiki)

William Foster (Keanu Reeves) is a scientist who specializes in synthetic biology, and mapping of neural pathways into alternative host bodies. After his family is killed in a car crash, Foster uses his unique knowledge to "resurrect" them in the form of biological clones. When resurrecting his family, Foster does not inform them of this transition.

This brings him into conflict with his corporate employers, who view his cloned family as property of Biodyne corporation.

Having imprinted his own neural pathways into a robotic host, robot William and human William will join forces to fight for freedom for William's cloned family.

Review:

The only thing I am thankful about this movie is that I didn't have a headache after watching it.

The film essentially has a good story idea that would work wonders if only given the right direction. But in this version with Keanu Reeves as the lead, everything falls apart. From their acting, dialogues, background score to every single minute of the screen time.

I wouldn't say its a pain to watch but eventually you just don't want to.

The film starts with a donor being brought into a facility for an experiment where William Foster our lead tries to transfer a dead guy's conscience into a synthetic brain and a metal body. For the story to proceed unfortunately the experiment fails as the subject rips his own body apart due to shock.

In the first scene itself, you can see the makers using very basic gimmicks to get a reaction out of the audience. Showing the eye being injected with the long needle for too long, describing every aspect of the experiment while using a VR screen just does not work anymore.

Keanu Reeves plays the scientist very mechanically. It may be a way to make him look more calculative as a scientist but it just does not sit right with his character and surroundings. It's not just him but the entire cast, the screenplay is very dull and does nothing to help the lack of flare in all the characters.

Through out the movie you want to ask question, a lot of them but you won't get answers. The story uses very little logic for its sci-fi background and literally has no aspect of a thriller. r the direction and post production was bad.

The second half of the film takes a complete turn from its original story in an attempt to increase the stakes. The film at first a thriller sci-fi becomes an action film in no time.

Through out the movie you want to ask question, alot of them but you won't get answers. The story uses very little logic for its sci-fi background and literally has no aspect of a thriller.

There are three different things happening in the film, one is the experiment, two is his family dying and then bringing them back and the third is the fake organization he works for. The three predictable plot points come off forced together and ruin the end even more. (Not that it could be any better, it's just plain bad)

Verdict: Just No, Reeves. NO! There is really nothing in the movie no substance, no context, no logic.

* star.