Simulant

Simulants are artificial humanoid robots. They are restricted by programming, but someone is trying to hack them. Artificial Intelligence Compliance Enforcement agent Kessler (Sam Worthington) apprehends Esme (Alicia Sanz), a simulant which had its programming altered. Evan (Robbie Amell) and Faye (Jordana Brewster) are a loving couple, but it's not what it seems. Casey (Simu Liu) is a hacker.

This premise has been done before. It is straight out of the Asimov's 3 laws of robotics which is eighty years old. I kept waiting for something new, but this is mostly derivative. The freshest aspect may be Simu Liu having sex with Alicia Sanz. It's still a little unusual in Hollywood for an Asian man to have sex with a white girl. The Evan-Faye couple does have an interesting reveal, but that surprise reveal can't be done more than once. I was expecting it for all the other reveals. There is potential for something else, but the movie doesn't go there until the last scene. I do want to mention the filming locations. For the most part, I've never seen those places and that's good. It's a side issue, but it does add a little freshness to the movie.

Canadian movie production quality is equal to Canadian TV production quality which is a bit worse than US Lifetime movie quality.

Most parts were interesting, the twists and turns were good. Actors and actresses all did a decent job, there were some good looking scenes.

I would agree that the pacing felt off, it was 1.5 hours and felt like they were stretching things with filler that wasn't engaging.

Not nearly as good as the Detroit: Become Human game's story which has AI breaking away from their programming due to mis-treatment by humans, and being able to share that with other AI by touch.

So overall just okay.

Where do I begin. Well, for one thing, the acting and photography/coloring/effects is great. I don't always judge a movie by how it looks, but sometimes I do and I give this one extra points for looking very good. Every shot is spot-on and whoever was hired to do the job should get a raise. The sound quality was excellent and that person should also get a raise. This was of course made by HBO and they have enough money to to make a high quality film. That being said, the story is just not done right. I feel like whoever wrote the screenplay should have put more thought into it. Then again, I know how difficult it can be to be a writer and create a screenplay that a director can use to make a successful movie. I think it was an OK movie. Not something I would want to watch again. Someone else might like it.

Here's the problem.

The movie starts with a really good 'Bladerunner' style hunting of a simulant/replicant with is is well made and a great set up. Unfortunately, the movie then drops the pace and the action to a scene were a woman mourns the loss of her husband and has had him replaced with a simulant/replicant. The movie then cuts between the two stories, one interesting, one not so much, until the end.

And as for the ending, well, it's a let down. The plot can only reach conclusions with contrivances and conveniences.

There are so many decent ideas here and a great action movie to be made with the material but it feels jumbled up. In short, too many plot lines spoil the film.

The lack of suspense in the narrative and the predictable unfolding of events make for an unenjoyable movie. The filmmakers attempt to explore profound questions regarding the relationship between humans and machines. However, the execution lacks any sense of creativity or enthusiasm. In the movie, all Simulates must obey four precepts: 1) Do not inflict harm on any human being. 2) Do not modify yourself or any other Simulate. 3) Do not commit crimes against international or local law. 4) Obey all commands from your masters. As soon as these rules are read out in the film, you know that they will be broken. All is too predictable. Even the A. I. is not worked out properly. The script, though, indeed looks like something that could be generated by ChatGPT. Simulant is naïve nonsense that asks, "What does it mean to be human?" and answers the question by changing the code of simulates and recommending them a Dostoevsky book! Literally! Do not waste your time. Skip this one.