Sorry, this movie sucks

Purely Joyful Movie!

Blistering performances.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Who knew there was a genre called "Psychedelic Action"... Well there isn't, technically, but this 1973 super low-budget science-fiction film... not even big enough for a decent cult following... can't really be described any other way. The camera angles and music alone give it that tag; and you won't be bored since there's plenty of action...The entire picture is one long multi-chase involving a scientist who's been cloned... or is he a clone who thinks he's the scientist? Visually you can figure it out so prick your ears since the sound quality is god-awful. Making otherwise talented actors tone down their skills to drive a story with expressions which are mostly worried, agitated, determined...Enter Michael Greene playing dual-roles. He's one of those actors you've seen a million times: tall, storky: a unique character actor... This is his only starring vehicle... and if not, it's one of the very, very few... while other familiar faces Gregory Sierra and Otis Young play F.B.I. agents on his scurried tail. THE CLONES makes surprisingly apt use of a sparse story-line with an energetic pulse, effectively cutting back and forth to the hunted and the hunters - from sneaking along rooftops, traipsing through rocky terrain, stalked on rural highways, in the desert, swamps, then busting into fist fights and, of course, car chases - as if there was actually a budget in this Wrong-Man thriller including an idyllically romantic sailboat scene, thus providing stolen shots of both land and sea...Meanwhile, the actors seem like they're merely collecting paychecks, sleepwalking through the roles while that same year, serving in heaven as opposed to this scant reign in hell, Sierra would be the hunted in PAPILLON; Otis Young would take THE LAST DETAIL with a never-better Jack Nicholson; and a year earlier, Greene bullied Woody Allen in PLAY IT AGAIN SAM. So they do have merit... The irony is, their CLONES paycheck was probably hardly worth slumming down to. (available on Amazon Prime... Review from cultfilmfreaks.com)

What's the obvious connection between duplicating humans and controlling the weather? No, I can't quickly think of something either, although CLONES seems to think it can be made both obvious and convincing. It is as if the makers thought that cloning itself was not enough to sustain the necessary tension and interest, and so at a late stage come up with a new plot peril to sustain matters. It would perhaps have worked better if the film had dwelt on the insecurities and doubts which surround the duplication of the individual, or indeed made the cause of such events much more mysterious and enigmatic than they turn out to be, leaving things disturbing and unanswered. Instead what we have is a reasonably entertaining large middle section with a likable hero, allied with a couple of effective hunters surrounded by less impressive exposition. Any rate, this low budget film does best when it stays away from such artificial considerations of plot to play on the confusion and paranoia of confronting doppelgangers, such as we have encountered elsewhere in such films as THE MAN WHO HAUNTED HIMSELF.Despite some interesting stylisation of the opening credits, the opening minutes of CLONES are a little confusing and it is only when hero Dr Appleby leaves the laboratory, in chase of himself, do things look up a little. Due credit must be given to Michael Green for making of Appleby at least halfway sympathetic during the extended action-suspense sequences which makes up the central part of the film which, on reflection, even more impressive given the low budget of the makers.Even with the caveats the score here is likely too low (I give proceedings at least a 5 or so) The final shoot out is well done and another reviewer is right: the last twist in the tale is unexpected.

Saw this twice long ago on Creature Features, hosted by the late great Bob Wilkins (Bay Area folk of a certain age will nod). It's the best kind of low budget science fiction, lean, fast, and unpretentious. It plays as much like an action movie as sci-fi, to be honest, much of the film is an extended chase, but very well done. The lead actor is unknown to me but fine in the role(s). Stanley Adams, Cyrano Jones on the original Star Trek, has a choice role as a scientist (and gets the last word in the movie). Best of all, Gregory Sierra plays a particularly nasty hit-man, in what can almost be seen as a prelude to his role in the excellent Deep Cover many years later.No idea if this is available anywhere or ever gets aired (TCM, are you listening?), but well worth the time if you get the chance.

If you are really bored.... Watch this movie. The insipid "hit men" at the beginning of movie set the tone. The only worth while line is from the Protagonist when he finally catches up to his clone..... "Get in there Xerox."