“Clone” (originally titled “Womb”) is “Dr. Who”s Matt Smith in his major film role (he does have a bit part in “In Bruges”, according to IMDb). It seems has been kicking around for a couple years which is never a good sign and in this case, it really isn’t, according to the bible of film knowledge IMDb it was finished by 2010 and was shown at the London film festival in 2010 as well. It also stars Eva Green.
In a near future, cloning is wide used however they considered second-class citizens. Rebecca (Eva Green) and Tommy (Matt Smith) are kids and become fast friends but Rebecca has to leave for Tokyo with her family. Fast forward 12 years and they meet again and start a budding romance but it cut short by a tragic car incident. Rebecca decides to give birth to a cloned version of Tommy. They have a complex relationship with Rebecca hiding aspects of his origin.
I’m getting really sick of his sci-fi films without the sci-fi stuff like “Never Let Me Go” which I really didn’t like at all (even though I’m a fan of the director and lead actors a lot) and in some reviews it has been compared to it even though I like “Never Let Me Go” a little bit more. “Clone” clearly wants to be like “Gattaca” but lacks the ideas, the imagery, the message and most importantly the ambition. It later becomes an almost Cronenberg like psychosexual drama but fails utterly flat at doing anything interesting. I think you can probably guess what happens between both of them.
I’ve never been a huge “Dr. Who” I got slightly excited about the Christopher Eccleston series and liked the David Tennent episodes I saw but haven’t bothered with Matt Smith episodes. I don’t think I will after his really boring and uncharismatic performance in this I’m probably not gonna bother to change that. Eva Green just seemed totally bored throughout the film and what has happened to her career? She was also in the similar unremarkable British sci-fi film “Franklyn”. I’ve really liked her in “The Dreamers” and Ridley Scott’s utterly underrated “Kingdom of Heaven” (in director’s cut form naturally). Hopefully Tim Burton’s upcoming “Dark Shadows” will change this but with Tim Burton’s current track record I’m not hoping a whole lot.
It’s mostly set in this beach house and it’s shot ok enough but it’s really pedestrian looking, a lot of greys and blues naturally but not in any innovative way.
The budget is reported $13 Million dollars I don’t see more than maybe 2 on the scene. They must have spent a lot of it on cocaine or something cause it looks really cheap looking,. “Donnie Darko” cost like under $5 Million and that’s a wonderful looking film. This is why I should make films cause I could make a better looking film than this piece of crap.
“Clone” is certainly a film to miss and is being released pretty much directly to DVD after an extremely small theatrical run in London only which is probably due to contractual obligations.
Ian Schultz |★☆☆☆☆
Drama, Romance, sci-fi | 15 | 7th May, 2012(UK) | Arrow Films |Dir:Benedek Fliegauf |Eva Green, Matt Smith, Lesley Manville, Peter Wight |Buy: Clone On Blu-ray
/ DVD
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