Pros: Typical Arnold flick with tongue in cheek humor, Good supporting performances by Duvall and Rapaport, Surprising amount of sublayers in a lightweight film, Some nice glimpses of believable technological advances
Cons: The human cloning process will stretch belief, Not for film purists who aren't looking for mere entertainment
In the very near future we will be able to clone fish, dogs, cats, and livestock. After all, we've already cloned sheep successfully. We could clone humans too; however, that will be illegal due to the ethical questions that re-creating human beings conjures up. That is the premise of The Sixth Day, shot mostly around Vancouver, Canada. The title, of course, refers to the passage in Genesis where God creates the first hairless apes. You'll never guess the first name that our hero will take on for this film.
Synopsis
The location is appropriate, as The Sixth Day is set soon after the "Rainforest War," where Adam Gibson (Arnold Schwarzenegger) was a highly decorated fighter pilot. Gibson likes doing things the "old fashioned" way, eschewing laser razors for metal blades and having a real wife and family as opposed to the virtual sex vixen that his partner Hank (Michael Rapaport) prefers. There are a few nifty devices that Gibson has accepted like Internet connections in his bathroom and refrigerator as well as autopilot style driving, but he prefers to operate as naturally as possible.
When Gibson's wife Natalie (Wendy Crewson) begs him to get a clone of their family dog from the Re-Pet Company, he is torn. Should he replace the dog to make his daughter Clara (Taylor Anne Reid) happy and satisfy the manipulative salesperson, or should he resist? Instead Gibson substitutes a weird and humorous talking doll for Clara.
Whether Gibson wants to deal with the cloning issue or not is forced upon him when he returns home to find his own clone inside celebrating his birthday, enjoying an illegal cigar, kissing his wife, and beginning to make "whoopee" in the mini-van. This is where the fun begins, as Gibson now repeats many of the same elements that you find in other Schwarzenegger fare, this time combating a host of clones who are harder to knock off than the zombies in Dawn of the Dead.
Film Elements
You realize that you aren't looking for great depth or heartfelt acting when you go to an Arnold Schwarzenegger film, and fortunately Arnold never takes himself seriously. The Sixth Day actually weaves humor, satire, and ethical dilemmas in with its combo action and science fiction plot. You might even add a touch of horror there with the multimillionaire Dr. Frankenstein style Drucker (Tony Goldwyn) determined to clone whoever he wants, even at a 1.2 million dollar cost per specimen. With Drucker's supply of human blanks waiting to be transformed, it seems that there will be no end to the parade of re-born clones, which can look pretty horrible when they don't complete the whole process. (Think of Cronenberg's remake of The Fly)
What surprises me most with The Sixth Day is that this lightweight film actually tackles social issues, presenting compelling reasons both pro and con concerning cloning. Presenting the pro side is Drucker, who argues that clones of terminally ill young children and geniuses like Mozart could benefit mankind. Most effectively representing the con side of the argument are Scientist Griffin Weir (Robert Duvall) and his wife, who has been unwillingly cloned with a fatal flaw.
True to form, director Roger Spottiswoode (Tomorrow Never Dies) realizes that the audience hasn't come for theological battles. They are here to see Arnold take on the bad guys in car chase scenes and fiery explosions, and he delivers in scenes reminiscent of Total Recall and True Lies. Consider it a bonus that some stellar acting performances are tossed in by supporting actor Rappaport (competing for the Phillip Seymour Hoffman award this year) and Duvall in his cameo role.
Additionally, the film actually allows Schwarzenegger to develop his character and show that the strongman/action hero can be a regular family man. Of course, the touches of humor are there, and with two Arnolds on the screen at the same time the odds are increased. Even a simple scene evokes a huge audience laugh when the two Arnolds utter the word "Cool" simultaneously. Lest the audience miss a humorous sight gag, Schwarzenegger makes sure that it receives notice by pointing out that his "screw yourself" comment wasn't meant to be taken literally.
If you are a Schwarzenegger fan, The Sixth Day is a patented Schwarzenegger formula movie that is enjoyable enough and will certainly play to huge worldwide audiences. Don't expect great art here -- this is little more than a clone of all that you can like about Arnold's films, so just go for a pleasure ride if you're in the mood.
Power hungry Drucker at one point offers Schwarzenegger immortality with the idea of perpetual cloning. Of course, we know how Arnold will respond to the idea. It's all the easier for him, knowing that his films will preserve his persona for many years to come.
In the not too distant future when cloning plants, pets, andhuman organs is accpeted, a sinister corporation has begunillegally duplicating entire hum...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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