The Forgotten Bruce Willis Sci-Fi Thriller Killing It On Hulu Right Now
When it comes to action stars, few names are as big as Bruce Willis. His presence looms large over any film he's in, which is why some of the best Bruce Willis movies ever give him a chance to kick butt and take names. That's definitely the case for the recent Willis flick currently crushing it on Hulu: Surrogates.
Based on data from FlixPatrol, the 2009 sci-fi thriller has entered the streaming service's Top 10 movies, and it seems as though people are rediscovering (or discovering for the first time) this intriguing film. In a futuristic society, Bruce Willis stars as Tom Greer, an FBI agent who's spent a good portion of his life controlling a surrogate, an advanced remote-controlled humanoid robot that assumes his role in life. This is something pretty much everyone has adopted in the world of the film. When a mysterious murder takes place that's linked with the individual who created these surrogates, it's up to Greer to get to the bottom of it.
It seems as though people have a case of Bruce Willis fever at the moment, considering another one of his action films has recently dominated Netflix's Top 10. Maybe it has something to do with the debate concerning whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Either way, you can get in on the cultural conversation by checking out Surrogates on Hulu.
Surrogates is a trippy sci-fi adventure
Based on the comic book series The Surrogates, which ran from 2005 to 2006, the film draws upon Gibsonian sci-fi concepts that have only grown more popular in the aftermath of Cyberpunk 2077 (despite the game repeatedly lying to fans). The idea that we could one day experience our lives vicariously through other beings only grows more plausible with each passing year, perhaps contributing to the sub-genre's recent revival.
Reviews for the film are overall mixed, with critics and audiences alike pretty much having the same opinion of the movie. Rotten Tomatoes shows it has a critics' score of 37% and audience score of 38%, but those who like it really like it. In Lisa Schwarzbaum's review of the movie for Entertainment Weekly, she writes, "There's fun robot stuff, some good philosophical ideas, and a brief, nutty Willis-Ving Rhames reunion 15 years after Pulp Fiction." The general consensus among reviewers who don't like it is that it's far too formulaic, which is a shame given its interesting premise. Roger Ebert's review states, "Surrogates is entertaining and ingenious, but it settles too soon for formula."
Ultimately, if you're a fan of sci-fi action flicks, then Surrogates will be a suitable watch for you. It's in the same vein as the likes of Gamer and Ghost in the Shell where avatars factor heavily into the plot. For Hulu subscribers wanting to plug into some escapism for 104 minutes, Surrogates is enough to keep you engrossed.