PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Replicants are a common plot device in Sci-fi and Horror. 2024’s Replicator, an indie body horror revenge film, is the latest to use this common trope in its plot. Does Replicator make good use of this?
Read on to find out!
Synopsis
A young public defender investigates the sudden moral transformation of a small town’s criminals, uncovering sinister supernatural forces and a harrowing path to redemption.
Replicator was directed and co written by Mark Andrew Hamer (The Hunting) from a script he cowrote with Russ Lindway. The film stars Brey Noelle (The Woman with My Face), KateLynn E. Newberry (Cult of Blood), Brian Spangler (Obstacle Corpse), Jim Azelvandre (Wolves Against the World), and LeJon Woods (The Hangman).
I’ve always found the idea of replicants interesting. Someone who looks like someone you know but there’s something not quite right about them. I’m also a big fan of revenge film and body horror so Replicator sounded like a film that should be right up my alley. That assessment was mostly correct, but not with some caveats. Let’s start with the positive.
What Works
I really enjoyed how the film examines grief. Darby, played perfectly by Brey Noelle, finds herself grieving the loss of a man she barely had a relationship with and she doesn’t quite know how to feel. I could relate to this as I’ve been in the same situation in the past. I loved KateLynn E. Newberry’s performance as Neila. Her character is very complicated, has been through a lot and is very sympathetic. The gore and the effects were gooey and top notch given the films limited budget.
What Doesn’t Work
On the negative side, I found myself more sympathetic to the villain of the film then anyone else. Their motivations were for a better world, safe for woman from the men who would abuse them. That made the ending of the film frustrating for me, in that it didn’t really gel with the goals the hero claims and sets earlier in the film. The ending genuinely upset me. I felt like for a film called Replicator, we didn’t really get much time or use out of the doubles. At least not as much as we should.
Final Thoughts
There was a lot to like in Replicator. It has great performances and solid gore and creature effects. The ending left me feeling frustrated with the film, as I found the villain, as misguided as their methods were, more sympathetic then the hero. Your mileage may vary. Recommended.
