Chimera Strain

The only mystery & unrelated to storyline is what the DVD cover has to do with the story. It's probably the only sci-fi creepy part of this production. Cheap production of 90 min. in an abandoned industrial setting building w/mismatched high school bio science lab props to go along with a storyline based on high school biology stem cells and tissue repair along w/the equally ridiculous pop science connection to jellyfish repair, i.e. longevity. Another cheap was the constant droning of the background music which will make you turn the sound off. Poor script flow/editing made what ever semblance of a coherent story simply not happening. Acting was over-the-top Hollywood make believe scientists & associated characters.

This is just one more "Scientist playing God and failing miserably" story. It doesn't matter that the reasons he fails are morally extinct and that the way he handles crisis is to succumb to apparent psychotic strength, because he is a nice scientist that can't do violence. A cliched and ridiculous promise that doesn't really do justice to scientists (or mad scientists for that matter). No person of science would be intimidated by a psycho boss lady and her uber strengthy hench... person. It took three thirds of the movie to reach an obvious conclusions, only to change things as a superfluous twist that no one needed.

Bottom line: a movie in which all people acted for the money, rather than for the idea of the film, resulting in a boring, cliched, pointless plot and a sub mediocre performance.

Featuring towering performances from Henry Ian Cusick and especially Kathleen Quinlan Chimera Strain is a film that will take you by surprise. The set designs are phenomenal with a blueish hue that is always welcome for science fiction lovers and the story- although a bit confusing at times is good enough for the audience to relate with. This low budget film doesn't look or feel low budget at all.

Some good, some not so good, The good: acting, plot, sets, medical sci-fi aspects. The not-so-good: over stylized lighting, confusing plot. Still it was better than the avarage crappy indie movie that comes out of sundance or cannes.

I am just amazed to read the high rates for this film. Yes, I know there are many PR works on movies so that it looks "decent" on the database, but the reviews on this one have looked quite sincere. Yet, I have just watched the movie, and it is not a movie at all!

The plot is so weak, and the annoying children keep talking behind the shots, and there is not one single "rational" character in the movie! Seriously.

Reviews aside, I am really curious about how this movie got so many - probably insignificant - rewards. Okay, low-budget, okay first movie, but every possible thing about the movie is so cheesy.