Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Surrogates: Silly But Suspenseful

Bruce Willis, in weird wig, tops 'smart' sci-fi flick

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 25, 2009 10:30 AM CDT

(Newser) – Critics are lukewarm about Surrogates, the new sci-fi flick starring a surprisingly hirsute Bruce Willis, in which humans command tricked-out robots who do their work and play for them.

  • It's a "preposterous movie that luxuriates in its own silliness," says Stephanie Zacharek of Salon. There's a "heavy-duty moral," but the film is redeemed by "not taking itself too seriously."

  • Manohla Dargis of the New York Times likes the "nifty" premise, a combination of '70s sci-fi and Second Life, but the film "seems to be missing some connective narrative tissue"—and poor Willis is "forced into a dandified blond wig" to play the robot version of himself.
  • Todd McCarthy of Variety is more impressed. Director Jonathan Mostow puts in "de rigueur action scenes for the popcorn crowd," but this is a "smart speculative suspenser"—even if it's only 88 minutes long.

Bruce Willis gives interviews to the press at the world premiere of Surrogates at the El Capitan theatre, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009 in Los Angeles.
Bruce Willis gives interviews to the press at the world premiere of Surrogates at the El Capitan theatre, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009 in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo / Shea Walsh)
A scene from the new film Surrogates, in theaters today.
A scene from the new film Surrogates, in theaters today.   (AP Photo/Touchstone Pictures-Disney, Stephen Vaughan)
Radha Mitchell and Bruce Willis attend the the world premiere of Surrogates at the El Capitan theatre, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009 in Los Angeles.
Radha Mitchell and Bruce Willis attend the the world premiere of Surrogates at the El Capitan theatre, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009 in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo / Shea Walsh)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
embersyc
Sep 26, 2009 3:51 AM CDT
Wish I had waited for a torrent instead of wasting ten dollars. This movie was totally horrible and the world presented was unbelievable even for a sci-fi film. The ending was just plain stupid and forced and pretty much the whole plot was lame. Also why in a world where these surrogates are totally commonplace is there no other significant technological breakthroughs?
2-bits
Sep 25, 2009 3:45 AM CDT
Oh, you know it will!
alkaseltzersammich
Sep 25, 2009 3:44 AM CDT
I'm sure this will be really popular on torrent sites.

More Newser Stories

Super 8 Almost Super

Source Code an Action Flick With Brains

Japan Has Robots All Over —Except at Nuke Plant

Lego Robot Builds Stuff—With Legos

Aging A-Listers Have a Blast in Red


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne