PG for scary sequences and images.
Running Time: 1 hour 36 minutes

Disney’s A Christmas Carol, a multi-sensory thrill ride re-envisioned by Academy Award winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, goes after the fantasy essence of the classic Charles Dickens tale. Not only is this an animated version of the long favorite flick, but it’s also filmed in 3D motion picture technology.

Of course the film centers around the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, played by Jim Carrey, who barks commands at his faithful clerk played by Gary Oldman. Colin Firth plays Scrooge’s cheery nephew who has much hope for his miserable Uncle Ebenezer. When ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take Scrooge on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he opens his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late.

The Classic Christmas Tale Revisited

I must admit when I went into this movie I found myself asking – “How many times can we sit through another adaptation and remake of A Christmas Carol?” When I heard about this Disney remake starring Jim Carrey I have to admit I did say out loud…

Give me a break! Not again!

I must also admit when I came out of the screening for A Christmas Carol I said aloud – “I’m glad I didn’t have to pay for that!” Keep in mind, as the hype surrounding this release has said, this is a “re-envisioned” adaptation of the Charles Dickens tale. Honestly, this version of A Christmas Carol has less to do about the story and more to do about the film technology.

Yes, the familiar storyline is somewhat kept intact. However, the hour and a half movie is not about the story at all. This version of A Christmas Carol is more of an assault and battery against your visual senses than anything else. Using the same technology from the filming and production of the 2004 The Polar Express, A Christmas Carol comes off like it’s evil twin brother on steroids.

It’s over-done, over-blown and over-produced in every way.

This movie is available in different formats on the big screen. But, be forewarned, if you see A Christmas Carol in 3D make sure your seat is in the upright position! You might also want to take some motion sickness pills before the ride and have a bag handy. In the end, this version of A Christmas Carol is nothing more than a 3D special effects ride meant to show off the so-called genius of Robert Zemeckis. While he may be an Academy Award winning filmmaker, it’s obvious he’s more concerned about winning another award with this flick than he was about putting out a good movie.

This Is NOT Mickey’s Christmas Carol!

Parents, keep in mind, just because this is Disney, does not mean it’s for the entire family!

Jim Carrey’s version A Christmas Carol is rated PG. This is not a G rated movie. This is not Mickey’s Christmas Carol. The parental warning says “PG for scary sequences and images.” Does no one read the advisory? This movie is NOT meant for young kids.

To the woman who had her young son behind me during the movie – Do you know how irritating it is for those around you who had to listen to your son say – “Hold me I’m scared” – through the entire movie? Do you have any idea how irritating it was to have your young son kick the back of the seat over and over again throughout the entire movie?

To the parents of the five year olds in the movie – Do you have any idea how irritating it was to listen to your kids cry through the movie? Take them out of the theater! Be a parent and realize you messed up and should never have taken your kids to this movie in the first place.

Last, but certainly not least – to the Dad’s of those 5 through 8 year olds – no one wants to hear you laughing at the scary parts as you try to calm your kids because they’re scared. Instead of saying – “Suck it up and be a man” – you be the parent and take your scared child out of the theater.

As for the rating, I will not fault Disney for the PG rating. I will not fault Disney for marketing. This version of A Christmas Carol was clearly NOT marketed to young kids. While I’m calling the movie cautionary family-friendly, I applaud Disney and those involved in the rating process for their decision to keep this out of the G rated arena. If anything, this is more of a PG-13 movie. But, with the PG rating I’m fine with calling it cautionary family-friendly.

This movie is NOT for young kids.

Overall, this latest re-invention of the classic Dickens’ tale could have probably been better left undone. Jim Carrey certainly does not put in a strong performance. At times he almost seems bored with the part. At other times it seems like he’s simply show-boating on a low budget film that was too cheap to hire more than one actor to play multiple parts. While A Christmas Carol is being marketed as the must see Christmas story of the year, this latest version is not the one to see.

Wait for the DVD!
Dr. Rus

Finally, after a number of weeks where it seemed all Hollywood had to offer were B level movies, we have a weekend where there’s something new to see on the big screen. It’s been a long haul since the so-called summer blockbuster flicks hit the big screen. Since then box office dollar numbers are down, and people have been searching for something worth seeing.

With that in mind, there are four, yes count them, FOUR new movies hitting the big screen in wide release this weekend. One other movie worth mentioning opens in limited release. This of course also begs the question…

What will happen with Michael Jackson’s This is It?

I have a feeling it will quickly fall down the top ten list. For more information on the Jackson movie see two of my previous posts…

• Movie Review: Michael Jackson’s This Is It
• Jackson To Get More Screen Time

One of the big movies opening this weekend unwraps Christmas early! It’s Jim Carrey’s A Christmas Carol.

New In Theaters

A Christmas Carol – PG on 3,683 screens
Jim Carrey is the iconic Scrooge in this 3D motion capture film based on the Charles Dickens tale directed by Robert Zemeckis. You’re familiar with the story – Scrooge’s icy personality melts away after he’s visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Gary Oldman and Colin Firth also star.

The Box – PG-13 on 2,635 screens
In the year 1976, Cameron Diaz’s Norma and her husband, played by James Marsden, are presented with a mysterious box containing a button that, when pushed, will make them rich, but will also kill someone they don’t know. Oscar-nominated Frost/Nixon actor Frank Langella co-stars as the man who delivers the box to the couple.

The Men Who Stare At Goats – Rated R on 2,443 screens
George Clooney stars as Lyn Cassady, a member of an experimental military unit that attempts to use paranormal powers – such as the ability to kill a goat by staring at it – to battle enemies. Cassady is accompanied by a journalist as he tries to locate the group’s leader, who has disappeared. Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges also star in this comedy, which is inspired by a true story.

The Fourth Kind – PG-13 on 2,529 screens
A psychologist investigating the disappearance of numerous people in Alaska learns that they may have been the victims of alien abductions.

Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire – Rated R – Limited Release on 18 screens
The Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry produced film could be a contender for an Oscar. Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe plays an illiterate teen mom who’s expecting her second child and is struggling with an abusive mother and father. She finds new hope for herself when she enrolls in an alternative school. Mo’nique and Mariah Carey also star.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

PG for some suggestive choreography and scary images.
Running Time: 2 hours 2 minutes

Michael Jackson’s This Is It was produced with the full support of The Estate of Michael Jackson. It was drawn from hundreds of hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage recorded as Jackson was preparing for his concert series in London. The film also offers selected sequences in 3D and provides a career retrospective featuring interviews with Jackson friends and creative collaborators.

Kenny Ortega, who was Michael Jackson’s creative partner and director of the stage show directed the movie.

Is That It?

This Is It is a behind-the-scenes look at Michael Jackson as he developed, created and rehearsed for his concerts which would have taken place during the summer of 2009 in London’s 02 Arena. The film footage chronicles the months from April through June, 2009 featuring Jackson rehearsing a number of the songs for the show. While it may have topped the box office for its debut weekend, it only pulled in slightly more than $21 million dollars domestically. That’s really a rather small take considering the hype the movie received before it’s release. Originally Sony planned just a two week run for the flick. But, after last weekend, they’ve decided to leave it in theaters until Thanksgiving weekend.

Could it be Sony figured out it wasn’t the blockbuster they thought it would be?

I have a feeling those involved in bank-rolling this project are saying “Is that it for money?” Now, in an attempt to ride the Michael Jackson cash-grab a little longer, the filmmakers want more time to at least break even on the deal.

While This Is It is a somewhat stroll down memory lane for an old radio guy like me, I must admit, there were times I got rather bored. Remember, this is not your average concert type movie. Actually, there’s very little concert feel at all. The footage was all filmed during practice and rehearsals. As a result, at times some songs become nothing more than an endless music loop of the same song over and over again. Or even worse, it becomes a loop of the same verse of a song, not even completing the entire song. While the choreography is impressive, once again, it becomes repeatitive. There are just so many angles on the same moves over and over again that you can stand to see.

This certainly did not need to be a two hour movie.

If more attention was given to making a tight and quick flick, instead of some epic movie, the over-all appeal may be wider. Instead, the endless music and dance loops left me looking at my watch wondering when the movie would end.

Some Bright Points

Even though This Is It is a little on the long side, there are some bright points along the way. The quick Jackson 5 montage is fun and the old pictures of the brothers were great to see too. The remake of Thriller and the some what behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the 3D video for the song was interesting too. It’s also very clear that Michael Jackson was a great dancer and choreographer. The moves are slick and clean. Then there’s the band. Wow, what an incredible collection of musicians.

Overall, This Is It is well done and pleasing to the eye as far as camera work and production. Those involved in completing the movie did very well in taking months of raw rehearsal film footage, and then turn it into a big screen movie. However, as already mentioned, This Is It is too long. As for rating, we are calling This Is It family-friendly. With a PG rating, there’s nothing out of the ordinary here that would bounce this flick out of the family-friendly arena.

Is this movie worth seeing on the big screen?

I’m going to say This Is It might best be viewed at home. While the big screen and big sound certainly adds to the overall effect of the movie, with the advent of home theater systems, you might not lose that much by waiting for the DVD. The cost of admission for a family, plus drinks and popcorn just seems too high a price to pay for this musical experience.

Wait for the DVD.
Dr. Rus

I love it when Lloyd puts on his Press Hat! It means he’s been in news gathering mode for movies.

It’s been a rather dismal time at the movies during the past few weeks as Hollywood has been dumping a number of sub-par flicks onto the market. But, with Thanksgiving on the horizon get ready for a string of what movie makers hope will be blockbuster hits!

Some of the more notable flicks coming soon…

• A Christmas Carol
• Men Who Stare At Goats
• 2012
• The Twilight Saga: New Moon
• Old Dogs
• Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel
• Sherlock Holmes

Big Names Promote Big Premieres

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas as the world premiere of Jim Carrey’s new movie, A Christmas Carol, took place last night, Tuesday, in London. Carrey, along with Colin Firth and Bob Hoskins – all of whom lend their voices to the 3D animated update of this Charles Dickens story – showed up too! Not only did they screen the movie, the trio also turned on the city’s Christmas lights at Oxford Circus and Regent Street.

Jim Carrey, who plays Scrooge in the movie, said “I want to thank the people of Britain personally for the legacy of Charles Dickens, his work, and for the chance to do this beautiful story again.

A Christmas Carol opens this Friday!

Meanwhile, time must be flying because 2012 is already here! The new disaster flick which is receiving much hype had its world premiere last night, Tuesday, in Los Angeles. John Cusack, who stars in this end-of-the-world flick says while the movie is about people rising up in the face of adversity, 2012 is ultimately “Still just a big epic popcorn movie”.

2012, from the same director/producer that brought us Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, also stars Amanda Peet, Danny Glover and Thandie Newton.

2012 opens on November 13!

Yours in movie news!
Dr. Rus

Michael Jackson’s concert film This Is It grabbed the top spot at the box office pulling in an estimated $21.3 million dollars over the weekend. The concert practice footage film opened last Wednesday and pulled in a five day total of $32.5 million for the domestic release numbers. But, it’s doing better on the world stage as worldwide This Is It has banked approximately $101 million dollars.

Even though the $21 million weekend box office total is actually rather small, Sony has decided to extend it’s appearance on the big screen. Originally plans were for just a two week run. But, Sony has announced This Is It will stay on the big screen through the Thanksgiving weekend.

I must admit I find the Michael Jackson hype very fascinating…

What Makes A Box Office Hit?

Many people applaud a flick when it tops the box office. Such is the case with the Michael Jackson movie. But, lets remember a couple things here. First off, nothing else new opened this past weekend. In other words, the only new movie offering for film fans was the Michael Jackson flick. Lets not forget the Vince Vaughn Couples Retreat trick. The distributor of that terrible movie did the same thing. Everyone applauded Vaughn for his genius when it hit the number one spot. But, it opened alone, and fell from grace like a rock!

Secondly, is $21 million really a lot of money? NO! As a matter of fact, Tyler Perry’s latest box office flop I Can Do Bad All By Myself from a couple months ago actually made more money on its debut weekend. In September that Perry flick pulled in approximately $24 million for a first weekend run.

In other words…maybe the King of Pop really isn’t the King of the Box Office after all.

It will be very interesting to see what happens with Jackson’s This Is It this weekend when it has some real competition on the big screen. Not only is the new Cameron Diaz horror/thriller The Box opening this weekend, but Jim Carrey also hits the big screen this weekend too. The much anticipated new adaptation of The Christmas Carol opens on more than 3,500 screens this weekend.

Michael Jackson could quickly disappear from the big screen scene this weekend.

Weekend Box Office Result Estimates

1. Michael Jackson’s This Is It – $21.3 million
2. Paranormal Activity – $16.5 million
3. Law Abiding Citizen – $7.3 million
4. Couples Retreat – $6.1 million
5. Saw VI – $5.6 million
6. Where The Wild Things Are – $5.1 million
7. The Stepfather – $3.4 million
8. Astro Boy – $3.04 million
9. Amelia – $3 million
10. Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant – $2.8 million

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

PG for some action and peril and brief mild language.
Running Time: 1 hour 34 minutes

Astro Boy is an all-new animated feature film full of action and adventure! Astro Boy, voiced by Freddie Highmore, lives in futuristic Metro City. He’s a young robot with incredible powers created by a scientist named Dr. Tenma.

Just how powerful is Astro Boy?

He has super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly! Embarking on a journey in search of acceptance, Astro Boy encounters many other colorful characters along the way. Through his adventures he discovers the joys and emotions of being human. Along the way he also finds the strength to embrace his destiny.

An Appointment With Destiny

When Astro Boy discovers his friends and family are in danger, he must make a decision. Will he return to Metro City and use his super powers to save everything he cares about? Or, will he simply ignore what’s going on at home, and live life for himself?

Right out of the gate it’s worth noting that Astro Boy certainly has an impressive voice cast! Not only does Freddie Highmore provide the voice for Astro Boy, but Nicolas Cage lends his voice talent for Tenma the scientist. Other voices of note include – Donald Sutherland, Bill Nighy, Nathan Lane and Eugene Levy. It’s quite obvious with such a voice cast that the producers of Astro Boy not only wanted to tap into the family audience, but they also wanted to capture the imagination of parents by using big name actors with recognizable voices.

There are many lessons to be gleaned from Astro Boy. It’s a story about family, it’s a story about friendship, it’s a story about standing up for what’s right, and most importantly, it’s a story about destiny. The message of destiny is emphasized throughout the movie as we see Astro Boy trying to figure out who he really is. He’s searching for meaning in his life. He’s searching for the destiny spoken over his life. In the midst of upheaval, Astro Boy holds onto the word destiny as he tries to fit in.

Is he a boy? Is he a robot? Is a friend? Is he a hero?

In the midst of his search, we see Astro Boy mingling with others trying to figure out who he is. While many times movies aimed at kids can be cruel when it comes to answering the destiny question, Astro Boy, for the most part, finds helpful people along the way. Not only do we see his search for destiny, but we in turn see other characters in the movie trying to find their place in the world too.

Then, in the midst of some great lessons for kids, we also discover a few lessons for adults too. One main theme revolves around the importance of spending time with your kids. You will never get lost time back. We see this lesson amplified as Dr. Tenma discovers that even though Toby/Astro Boy is a brilliant son, he hasn’t spent the time he should have with him. When something tragic happens, Tenma devises a plan to recapture lost time. However, in the midst of recapturing lost time, both Tenma and Astro Boy find themselves in the midst of confusion.

Action Keeps Your Attention

One thing is for sure, Astro Boy has lots of action to keep not only kids engaged, but adults engaged too. Filmmakers of animated movies sometimes struggle in finding a balance between too much adventure, not enough adventure, or jarring scene changes which do little more than confuse the audience.

Such is not the case with Astro Boy!

There’s a nice balance here between adventure vs. scenes where we can catch our breath. But, not only is the action good, it doesn’t seem over-done. While I must admit the “I’ve got machine guns in my butt” may be a little over the top, for the most part, it’s your typical Saturday morning cartoon type adventure material.

Another nice aspect of the adventure revolves around the fact that it’s not just kids adventure. As already mentioned, there’s enough going on in this movie to keep both kids and adults engaged. There’s action with kid characters and action with adult characters. Once again, we also applaud the filmmakers because they’ve found a nice balance between the two age groups, without stooping to potty humor.

As far as rating goes…
We are calling Astro Boy family-friendly for the rating.

Remember, this is a PG movie. It’s not meant for the really young. But, even after saying that, it’s not to say the 5 to 10 crowd would be overly frightened from anything going on with the movie. The flick clocks in at a little over an hour and a half. It’s just the right length for kids not to get bored. Of course the action and the fact that the storyline moves along well and quickly means kids shouldn’t get bored.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

Michael Jackson’s concert film is set to open on 3,400 screens on Wednesday, October 28th. It’s a limited run of just two weeks, but box office analysts are already excited about possible records being set for the flick. More than 1,600 screenings in the United States of Michael Jackson’s This Is It have already sold out through advance ticket sales on websites like Fandango.

Some experts believe This Is It could become the highest-grossing concert movie of all time!

Move Over Hannah Montana?

As This Is It aims at some record breaking box office dollars, Hannah Montana might have to move over. Currently her Hannah Montana/Miley Cryus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour, holds the highest-grossing movie title. Last year, despite screening in limited release in the U.S., the Best of Both Worlds movie raised over $70 million worldwide.

In light of advance ticket sales for the Jackson flick, concert promoter AEG, which helped develop the This Is It, predicts the movie will pull in $250 million domestically in its first five days of release. That total would also surpass the $203 million made by the Warner Brothers movie The Dark Knight within the same time frame when it was released.

Yours in movie news…
Dr. Rus

Four new movies hit the big screen this weekend!

Let the new weekend begin, which means it’s time for some new movies to hit the big screen too. This weekend there are four new flicks to choose from. One falls into the “Do we really need another one of these?” category. Another goes after the kid crowd and yet another deserves a wider release.

What will be big at the box office come Monday. You’re guess is as good mine. Will the animated Astro Boy grab the top stop? Or, will those looking for a good scream push Saw VI to that number one spot. I guess we’ll just have to wait until Monday to find out those answers.

New Movies This Week

Saw VI – Rated R 0n 3,036 screens
The torch is passed on from the killer Jigsaw to his successor, Detective Hoffman who tortures people with cruel games. Tobin Bell returns as Jigsaw.

Astro Boy – PG on 3,014 screens
Based on the classic Japanese comic and animated TV series, this animated story focuses on a robot named Astro Boy, who learns how to become a hero utilizing his superpowers. Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell, Charlize Theron, Nicolas Cage, Nathan Lane and Eugene Levy lend their voices.

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant – PG-13 on 2,754 screens
Two teens place themselves in teh middle of a bitter rivalry between two groups of vampires when they join a traveling freak show. John C. Reilly and Salma Hayek, who plays a bearded lady, star.

Amelia – PG on 818 screens
Hilary Swank portrays the famed aviator Amelia Earhart, who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and who mysteriously disappeared in 1937 when she tried to fly around the world. Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor also star.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

Just when you thought we had to wait until next year for another award show, along comes Scream 2009. The Spike TV award show found a home this year at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. A number of big names were on hand for the show too! Johnny Depp, Tobey MaGuire and Twilight actor Taylor Lautner just to name a few.

Twilight and HBO’s True Blood each won four awards with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen picking up three awards. Star Trek was another big winner for the night with multiple winnings, including the Ultimate Scream award which was accepted by the original Captain James T. Kirk, William Shatner. Comic book legend Stan Lee was also on hand as he received the Comic-Con Icon Award. Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones was honored with the Rock Immortal Award.

The 4th annual Scream ceremony will air on
Spike TV on October 27, 2009

2009 Scream Award Major Category Winners

• The Ultimate Scream – Star Trek
• Best Fantasy Movie – Twilight
• Best Horror Movie – Drag Me To Hell
• Best Science Fiction Movie – Star Trek
• Best Actor in a Fantasy Movie or TV Show – Robert Pattinson, Twilight
• Best Actor In A Horror Movie of TV Show – Anna Paquin, True Blood
• Best Actress In A Fantasy Movie or TV Show – Kristen Stewart, Twilight
• Best Actress In A Science Fiction Movie or TV Show – Megan Fox, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
• Best Villain – Alexander Skarsgard as Eric Northman, True Blood

Yours in Award Show news!
Dr. Rus

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

Running Time: 1 hour 29 minutes

People are living their lives remotely, from the safety of their own homes via robotic surrogates – sexy, physically perfect, mechanical and consequences don’t exist. But, when the first murder in years jolts this utopia, FBI agent Greer, played by Bruce Willis, discovers a vast conspiracy behind the surrogate phenomenon. As a result, he must abandon his own surrogate, risking his life, to unravel the mystery.

Who’s real…and who can you trust?

Imagine A World With No Pain

Years ago John Lennon sang about a world with no pain and nothing but peace. In Lennon’s Imagine, everything was perfect. But, the scriptwriters of the new Bruce Willis flick Surrogates point out that might not be the best place to live.

I went to Surrogates not really knowing what to expect. The trailers looked interesting and it seemed to have that bad-good-cop Bruce Willis feel to it. I like seeing Willis play the role of a cop with an attitude. He just does that so well. But, I must also admit I was really surprised when Willis first appeared on the screen!

He looked plastic and young!

He almost looked like a big G.I. Joe type doll with a plastic face that seemed to crack when he talked. It was just really, really, really strange! I found my mind racing wondering what in the world they did to him. Why would he take a role in which he would be made up to look so young, and plastic?! I also want to point out, I do not remember seeing any trailers for Surrogates where Willis looked like this! The oddity really sent me for a loop and I spent the first part of the movie trying to figure out why he looked so bad. As a result, I missed much of the plot-line and dialogue. Not that it really mattered, this script is pretty much a re-hash of things that have gone before.

Of all those involved in this futurist sci-fi-flick, the star looking the most out of place is Bruce Willis. I suppose that’s probably because he’s the most recognizable star in Surrogates that really did need some kind of a stand-in double to make him look young. As a result, the first 45 minutes of this movie is very plastic. The acting seems sub-par and many of the supporting actors and actresses seem to lean on Bruce Willis to make this movie come to life.

It finally does come to life with about 45 minutes left.

Once Willis steps away from his surrogate and starts his investigation in his “old” body, the movie seems to come to life. Up to that point, I found myself wondering why Willis even agreed to do this movie. I must admit if it hadn’t picked up soon, I was about to leave the theater and totally write Surrogates off as a mistake made by Willis to be ignored.

I like Bruce Willis, and I really did want to like all of this movie. But, in the end, if it hadn’t been for the last 45 minutes, I would have said it’s best to ignore this movie.

I, Robot on Steroids

As for plot-line – Surrogates can best be described as I, Robot on steroids. There’s really not a lot new here when it comes to robotics and what can happen if robots are allowed to take over our lives. Something will always go wrong. It doesn’t matter if it’s Will Smith crusading for humankind without robots, or Bruce Willis trying to figure out why the surrogate robots are going bad. In the end, it’s all the same – we are supposed to live life ourselves, not through a robot.

The 2004 flick I, Robot featured shiny looking machines meant to keep humanity safe from all danger. But, something goes terribly wrong and Will Smith must save the day. In Surrogates, while the technology seems more advanced, the purpose remains the same. Robots, or in this case, surrogates, are supposed to keep humanity from all danger. This time around, it’s Bruce Willis to the rescue.

But here’s the really interesting twist with Surrogates. Not only is the plot-line and theme similar to I, Robot, but the actor who plays the Doctor responsible for inventing the surrogates is the same inventor from I, Robot! While the character name is different, we find James Cromwell showing up again playing the similar, and familiar role of robot creator.

Overall, I must admit Surrogates was a disappointing experience for me. As already mentioned, I like Bruce Willis when he plays these roles. But, this has more of a low-budget feel to it than anything else. It’s almost like those involved in the flick knew they needed a big name to carry the sub-par script, sub-par acting, and sub-par concept. As a result, they turned to big name actor Bruce Willis to carry the movie somewhere. While I’m not sure where they wanted the movie to go, if it weren’t for Willis, I would have totally ignored this Surrogates.

As for rating, it says PG-13 for violence and disturbing images. At least they got that right! But, this is far from a PG-13 movie. This is not family-friendly at all, and once again we discover the need for a mature audience rating. While I do give it a 1.5 Lloyd rating, keep in mind that’s a mercy rating simply because I like Bruce Willis.

Best to wait for the DVD!
Dr. Rus