The Replacement

A story about choices. And consequences. About power and about janitors against clones. A parable, in fact. Interesting for the embroidery defining present. A wise portrait of the reality in clash against surogates. A predictable end. And good performances. Short, a cool film about politics and the rules defining them.

Ever wondered what societal and ethical issues would crop up if cloning became mainstream? Well, this intricate blend of 'Blade Runner' and 'Surrogates' offers an illustrious illustration on just that. A socioeconomic commentary that rapidly explores a variety of morality ultimatums which would irrefutably change the future of civilisation. Think about it. You clone yourself, the end product replicating your human shell but acquiring a complete different personality altered by environmental factors. It becomes more successful than you. It allows your mind to erupt, filling the cranial space with jealousy and envy. Miller gently explores that with a well-written janitor, played exquisitely by McNamara who expertly alters his acting into multiple performances, essentially harnessing metaphysical goggles for the audience to glare through. This rage-induced yet controlled character is our eyes and ears. Staring at the futuristic technology that enhances the requirement for consumerism and listening to the hustle and bustle of this dystopian city.

Miller packs so many ideas into twelve minutes, which is an impressive feat in itself, that the main societal exploration needed much more time to develop and consequently resulted in particular plot points being rushed. Narrative pacing becomes inconsistent as soon as a specific character is kidnapped. The core concept hooked me instantly, and is what drives the story. Losing that intent and sci-fi tone, especially in a short film, forces the abrupt conclusion to be underwhelming. It's a common flaw found in most grand visualisations within a minuscule amount of time, however Miller balanced it better than most. The visuals, digital technology and overall production design were excellently orchestrated by Khan. And if anything, The Replacement left me desiring a full-length feature film. Vote 4 clones!

Well, well, well. This is a pleasant surprise.

'The replacement' plays in a familiar narrative space, true. There are tropes at hand we've seen utilized before, and ultimately the concept is one that's at the core of a particularly famous sci-fi film. Yet writer-director Sean Miller brings us a short that uses these ideas in a way that's not been done before, at least not in any point of comparison that immediately comes to mind. More renowned stories impart the future aftermath of scenarios like the narrative depicted here. To tell a tale that revolves around the rise of clones, or otherwise genetically engineered people, is a slightly different take. And at least for my part, I think it's done pretty well. These 15 minutes are engaging, and solid from a standpoint of both writing and technical craft.

But more surprising still is what 'The replacement' does in the time it is given.

Far longer features have tried to cram a boatload of themes and elements into their runtime. Sometimes it works well; other times, they stumble, with notions that aren't sufficiently explored. Or maybe the production just feels too busy, or overdone.

That's worth keeping in mind while simply listing the retinue of ideas this short dances across: bioethics, consumer rights, human rights, prejudice, individuality versus collectivism, dystopia, wish fulfillment, self-realization, obsolescence, executive power, the brutality of police and private security, and more. There's a lot to unpack here, and it would be very easy for this short to get weighed down by the complexity of everything it tries to touch upon. Yet it doesn't: the themes underlying the storytelling are secondary to the narrative, and serve it rather than become its focus. Much more established filmmakers have fumbled in attempting that same balance.

'The replacement' is hardly revelatory, but it's well made, reasonably original, and broaches a wide range of issues and thoughts without getting hung up on any of them. Simply for the quality of its craft, this is worth watching.