You think things are bad now, in a world where we all communicate virtually through email and SMS and tweets... Now imagine a world where we all live virtually. Based on the complete lack of buzz surrounding this movie, I'm not sure anyone really expected much of it. Oh look, another Bruce Willis film, except now he's wearing a terrible hairpiece. Except this movie was really good. Not just for the slightly twisted murder mystery, but for the rather challenging questions it raises about what it means to be human. At some point, we all question who we are, but wouldn't that question get complicated if we could be anyone? You just pick out a surri with whatever features you like (male or female) and you go live your life virtually through a robot while you lie in a recliner back at home. Then when mom tells you to go out and play, you just get in your chair and have your surrogate go out and play for you. These surrogates wipe out human imperfection. They all have perfect skin, perfect teeth, perfect hair (hence the hairpiece), perfect body shape and tone. And everyone has one. Everyone is perfect! It's perfect! But is that the human experience? Part of what makes us human, part of what makes our personalities are these physical imperfections. This scar factored into my life somewhere. This baldspot is part of me. Hiding all these things behind the synthetic skin of a robot disconnects us from these things that make us human. I hadn't thought about this till now, but it would also seem to indicate cosmetic surgery (the completely elective type) as the tiniest of baby steps toward this artificial world. That and maybe video games...
So yes, I really enjoyed this movie, mostly because it kept me thinking the whole way through, challenging so many ideas and presenting new ones. Also, it was a pretty fun ride.
