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Surrogates
Media: Region A Blu-ray Disc
Stars: Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Cadjoe, James Cromwell, and Ving Rhames
Writers: John Bracato and Michael Ferris
Based On The Graphic Novel By Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele
Directed By: Jonathan Mostow
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Audio: English DTS-HD MA and French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Subtitles: English SDH and French and Spanish Language Subtitles
Bonus Features: Deleted Scenes, A More Perfect you: The Science Of Surrogates, Breaking The Frame: A Graphic Novel Comes To Life, “I Will Not Bow” Music Video By Breaking Benjamin, Feature Audio Commentary By Director Jonathan Mostow
Home Video Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Jonathan Mostow distinguished himself when he directed U571 and followed that up with Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines, which could not have been an easy task considering he was following in the footsteps of James Cameron’s epic classics. Now he has directed another film that features robots, but this one, based on the graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele, follows the concept where in the near future, telecommuting and relating through technology has taken a whole new meaning as much of humanity now functions through an idealized android avatar of his or herself that they pilot long distance through direct brainwave interface that I guess works like some sophisticated for of Wi-Fi or something and as a result no one ever leaves their home. They just have their Surrogate work in their place, party and socialize in their place, and perform whatever tasks need to be done, like grocery shopping, for their human operators. The crime rate has gone down immensely as a result and it has become such a part of culture that people who function through a surrogate ostracize those who refuse to function through one.
Then when someone murders a couple, one of whom is the son of the inventor of the technology, detectives investigate the case, which could spell disaster for not only the entire surrogate industry, but threaten their human operators since the weapon is able to bypass the safety nets put in place to protect the operator and consequently fries their brains. After a disastrous investigation is an area zoned off for those who have turned away from the brave new world of surrogates, an FBI agent (Bruce Willis) must re-enter the physical world beyond the safety of his home to solve the mystery and ultimately save humanity from disaster.
It is difficult to say how far something like this would really catch on since there are a lot of unanswered questions regarding the psychological and physical effects of such an invention. I mean if people suffer from obesity, stress, depression, anxiety, and panic disorder to name just a few common problems that many people live with already, how could one even consider the long term effects on the human body and spirit? I doubt anyone is going to look as good as Bruce Willis or any of the other actors and actresses we see emerge from their cocoons and only suffer from a few gray hairs, unshaven faces and bodies, and pale skin. Sometimes what works in a graphic novel does not carry over well to the big screen and while it is obvious that most people do not want to see the true grotesque results surrogates would have on using humans after a few years, the results shown just take away from the fantasy and suspension of disbelief. I mean I can’t imagine the environment of the planet reacting any better in a world not only overcrowded with people, regardless if they are staying home or not, and for nearly every one of them, at least one or more surrogates running around, driving cars, operating machines, etc. Could a world of surrogates fueling an economy makeup for the skyrocketing cost of healthcare to maintain their operators that would develop? What about the amount of energy machines like this would have to consume to stay operational? Nothing like this is addressed in the film and it should be because it doesn’t require a lot of exposition to make a futuristic appliance appear to be plausible. Not even on allegorical or satiric terms does Surrogates seem to work well in. Whenever someone refers to a human as a “meat bag” I couldn’t help but think of Bender from Futurama, which in it’s own animated and comedic way actually maintains it’s own basic laws to which that universe works and ultimately I think is more plausible as a result and Futurama is a cartoon from Simpsons creator Matt Groening and not a animated adaptation of some story by Robert Heinlein or whatnot. James Cromwell and Ving Rhames are given little to do in the film and seem miscast in my opinion.
Surrogates is presented in a 1080p native high definition (2.40:1) widescreen aspect ratio with a well-mixed English DTS Digital High Definition Master Audio 5.1 Surround Soundtrack. Since this is a 2009 film released on Blu-ray in January of 2010, I found no issues with the film’s picture and sound presentation. It is up to standards already set by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment in it’s other Blu-ray Disc products, regardless if the film is Disney release, a Pixar, Touchtone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, or a Dimension Films release among the other labels that fall under the greater umbrella of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.
French and Spanish Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtracks along with English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired as well as French and Spanish Language Subtitles are encoded onto the Blu-ray Disc as options. The Blu-ray Disc features exclusive deleted scenes and a comparison between graphic novel and the film, which Jonathan Mostow hoped would be true to the spirit of the graphic novel, but was never intended to be a frame by frame live action adaptation of it. Also included is a featurette about the science behind the fiction of the film along with a music video for “I Will Not Bow” by Breaking Benjamin and feature length director’s audio commentary. High definition trailers that include Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland are included on the BD too.
Surrogates as a film didn’t work for me, but it is a competent Blu-ray Disc release for the curious that is worth a rental before you buy it.
© Copyright 2010 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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