Surrogates

The biggest question/problem: If 98 percent of the world’s inhabitants are using surrogates (fake bodies controlled by remote brains), wouldn’t the host bodies eventually just waste away from lack of exercise? But that’s small potatoes in this film full of problems. The crux of the film follows FBI agents Greer and Peters (Bruce Willis and Radha Mitchell, respectively) as they try to figure out where a mysterious weapon that, when used on surrogates also kills their hosts, came from and how it works. With most of the characters being presented as robots, though, it’s hard to have much compassion for any of them or care about their plight. It’s only when Greer is forced to shed his surrogate body in favor of his true self that a glimmer of humanity shines through. Willis is in true form here, but seems to be losing steam. It doesn’t help that his main costars—both his partner, Peters, and wife, Maggie (Rosamund Pike) are airbrushed-perfect robotic characters. Ultimately, the humanity is lost—which is both a problem in the film and for it. Feather River Cinemas, Paradise Cinema 7 and Tinseltown. Rated PG-13