“Surrogates” (2009)

Can’t stand sci-fi? Allergic to blockbusters? Try this great big blockbuster sci-fi movie….

I love Bruce Willis, always have, though I am not good at him doing interiority. I prefer the hard-bitten, misunderstood action man. In this extraordinary movie, he’s brilliant as a robot and then as the robot’s human half (they’ve both got hints of chip). Rosamund Pike does what a brilliant blonde Brit actress should do: leaves all pretention at the studio door.

I may come back to it, but for now it’s worth noting all the things this movie has.

(1) Gray and caramel fudginess

(2) Matt Damon’s “Paranoia Aesthetic”

(3) Corporate malfeasance

(4) Emotionally crippled hero

(4) Gross geek who’s really decent

(5) Hippy communities standing up for humanity

(6) Poor little rich boy getting zapped

(7) Crippled entrepreneur megalomaniac

It’s a cliche full-house and not so much redeemed as aced by pace, wit, loveliness and thrills.

I’m inclined to think it’s an all-time great. But is it a cult in the manner of Dark Man (1990)? No. More mainstream surely?