Surrogates (2009)

Set in a futuristic world where humans live in isolation and interact through surrogate robots, a cop is forced to leave his home for the first time in years in order to investigate the murders of others' surrogates.

Director:

Jonathan Mostow

Writers:

Michael Ferris (screenplay), John D. Brancato (screenplay),

Stars:

Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruce Willis	...	Greer
Radha Mitchell	...	Peters
Rosamund Pike	...	Maggie
Boris Kodjoe	...	Stone
James Francis Ginty	...	Canter
James Cromwell	...	Older Canter
Ving Rhames	...	The Prophet
Jack Noseworthy	...	Strickland
Devin Ratray	...	Bobby
Michael Cudlitz	...	Colonel Brendon
Jeffrey De Serrano	...	Armando
Helena Mattsson	...	JJ the Blonde
Michael Phillip	...	Uniformed Cop
Danny F Smith	...	Victim (as Danny Smith)
Brian A. Parrish	...	Hard Hat (as Brian Parrish)

Storyline

People are living their lives remotely from the safety of their own homes via robotic surrogates -- sexy, physically perfect mechanical representations of themselves. It's an ideal world where crime, pain, fear and consequences don't exist. When the first murder in years jolts this utopia, FBI agent Greer discovers a vast conspiracy behind the surrogate phenomenon and must abandon his own surrogate, risking his life to unravel the mystery.

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Plot Keywords:

fbi agent | future | murder | robot | investigation | 

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Taglines:

Human perfection. What could go wrong?

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing images, language, sexuality and a drug-related scene

Details

Official Sites:

Choose Your Surrogate.com Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Identidad sustituta

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$80,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£961,271 (UK) (25 September 2009)

Gross:

$38,542,418 (USA) (27 November 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Mandeville Films, Top Shelf Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The unusual shoulder patch worn by Colonel Brendon is the 26th Infantry Division. A former division of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, it has been deactivated since 1993. The insignia is actually a stylized "YD", for their nickname, "The Yankee Division".

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Goofs

When Miles is in the alley and wipes out the five policemen, he aims the OD weapon at the helicopter with his right hand. A few shots later, it is on his left hand.

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Quotes

[first lines]
The Prophet: Look at yourselves. Unplug from your chairs, get up and look in the mirror. What you see is how God made you. We're not meant to experience the world through a machine.

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Connections

Featured in Late Show with David Letterman: Episode #17.14 (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Skin Trade"
Written by Deane Ogden
Performed by Deane Ogden
Courtesy of Deane Ogden Music

User Reviews

A Nice Hybrid of High Tech Action Thriller Movies

SURROGATES presents a strong sci fi storyline that isn't so convoluted that it exhausts the viewer from mental analysis of what's going on. It also is crafted well so that unlike a number of sci fi action movies, the balance between the action and the human relationship components are in sync. This hybrid sci fi movie includes elements from I, ROBOT (2004) that introduced many of the similar robotic images, THE MATRIX (1999) that introduced the notion of virtual reality plug ins, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981) that introduced a post-modern society isolated from the rest of humanity, and FAHRENHEIT 451 (1966) that presented the dystopic future angst of a couple separated by technology. Bruce Willis continues at the top of his game in this movie bringing an even more subdued and sympathetic character to the screen. The action is compelling and strong, the technological premise of this movie is well executed, and the human/surrogate disconnect is remarkably engaging on an emotional level. Unfortunately, in somewhat of a less than powerful and poignant delivery, unlike FAHRENHEIT 451, SURROGATES ultimately has as its core the more traditional and perhaps predictable resolution and tidying up of lose ends favoring a more conservative and pedestrian movie overall.