Posted in: Movies, Review | Tagged: cloning, john wick, keanu reeves, Replicas, replicas bad, replicas film, replicas review, thomas middleditch
[Review] 'Replicas' is the Worst Movie of 2019, and it is Only January
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There is nothing that can prepare you for the experience of watching the new Keanu Reeves film Replicas. When one sees a film that is this bad on this level, all you can do is sit there and laugh. January is early in the year to call the race for best or worst film of the year, but one would hope that this is as bad as it will get in 2019. I would hate to see something considered to be worse.
When scientist Will Foster (Reeves) crashes his car, killing his wife and three kids in the process, he decides to clone them and use his research to make copies of maps of their brains to insert into the clone copies of the family. This is not a good idea, and predictably he and fellow researcher Ed (Thomas Middleditch) run into all kinds of issues after deciding to break the laws of nature.
Sparing you the details, nothing in this film works at all. There are certainly big themes in play here, but this film is not very interested or capable of dealing with or answering them. Ethical dilemmas are thrown out the window at the drop of a hat, there is no emotion in any of the performances besides Reeves, and even he is his usual stoic self. It works for John Wick, but certainly not here. Halfway through the film after about the forth time the story tries to right itself, you cease caring altogether, and his family is not even back yet. After they finally come back, every single decision made is the wrong one, and not to mention the entire plot of the film can be figured out as soon as they decide to bring the family back.
The worst part about Replicas is how cheap it looks. They spent of a pretty sizable chunk of the budget on making sure the 3D maps and such they play with onscreen while spitting out their science-speak are up to par. Instead they probably should have made sure the cyborgs that a lot of the film is trying to hang its hat on look up to even Syfy standards. Rooms are not well lit behind characters, rarely is there a time when more than a couple people are on screen at the same time. All the hallmarks of a small budget are here, except for those damn 3D maps. Gotta have those, or else we will never know what science is!
There is not much else to say here. Everything about this movie-watching experience is terrible. Do yourself a favor and wait until this film hits Netflix, where it should have been in the first place, grab a few friends, and laugh at what is sure to remain the worst film of the year. Second week of January and the champ has been crowned. That is both crazy and sad.