‘Clone Cops’ VOD Review
Stars: Ravi Patel, Henry Haggard, Rashad Rayford, Laura Holloway, Quinnlan Ashe, Allison Shrum, Ted Welch, Schyler Tillett, Phillip Cordell | Written by Danny Dones, Phillip Cordell | Directed by Danny Dones
Welcome to the future, a future in which techbro Robert Nefari (Ravi Patel; Dashing Through the Snow, The Time Capsule) and his company, NefariCorp, control nearly every aspect of society, most notably the crucial sectors of cloning and law enforcement. If the film’s title hasn’t already made it clear, these two forces have become deeply intertwined. The man responsible for that is “One Tank” Frank (Henry Haggard; The Bigfoot Trap, Blood Rogues) and he’s just hired a new assistant Freddy (Rashad Rayford; Nashville Dads Club, Generational Curses).
Of course, every dystopian society needs an opposing force, and in this case, resistance comes in the form of a gang of outlaws fighting back against corporate dominance. This ragtag group consists of Porter (Laura Holloway; Without Ward, Adult Interference), their leader Fera (Quinnlan Ashe; The Committee, A Nashville Country Christmas), the group’s firecracker, Cipher (Allison Shrum; The OctoGames, The Third Saturday in October), a hacker with a mysterious past, Brick (Ted Welch; The Dead Center, Killers of the Flower Moon), a bruiser with a love of destruction, and their latest recruit, Kinder (Schyler Tillett; Zombie Bounty Hunter M.D., When a Woman Loves a Man), who’s just trying to find his place in the gang.
The story really kicks off when one of NefariCorp’s Clone Cops, genetically engineered, mass-produced law enforcement officers, all portrayed by Phillip Cordell (Prince of Pools, The A/V Workshop) comes snooping around their safe house. A confrontation with the gang leaves one of these clone officers dead and Porter badly wounded, effectively igniting an all-out war between the two factions. What follows is a chaotic, violent, and frequently absurd battle between corporate-controlled law enforcement and a group of determined criminals who refuse to play by the rules.
Director Danny Dones (Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!, The Best Laid Plans) co-wrote the script with Phillip Cordell, and together, they have constructed a warped, darkly comedic vision of the future. Clone Cops operates as a blend of various genres, part dystopian sci-fi, part action thriller, and part satire. It draws inspiration from classic works like Brave New World and RoboCop, while also incorporating the absurdist elements of Monty Python and Quentin Dupieux (Smoking Causes Coughing, Deerskin). There are a few other influences, but mentioning them would spoil some of Clone Cops’ surprises.
The result is a film that’s part violent action film and part parody/farce that takes aim at everything from capitalism, consumerism and identity to reality TV, violent entertainment, and police brutality. Unfortunately, like many films that take aim at multiple targets, it spreads itself too thin at times and doesn’t always hit the mark.
Clone Cops works best when its sights are aimed at NefariCorp, the way it’s involved in seemingly everything, and how it controls the population through things like the TV show Crimetime 360. On the character level, the film is more uneven. While some interactions and comedic moments land well, such as Brick’s hilariously misguided speech about treating a weapon like a romantic partner, other scenes struggle with pacing or tone. That said, the film’s humour does add a necessary level of levity, preventing it from becoming overly bleak or serious.
And it’s moments like that which help make the world of Clone Cops feel familiar and relatable to viewers. The film’s low budget, which means everything looks like it does now rather than something out of Blade Runner, one of the most believable depictions of the future, helps in that regard too. One thing it successfully borrows from big-budget films like RoboCop and Starship Troopers are the commercials and news scrolling across the bottom of the screen, both of which frequently hit their targets better than the dialogue.
On the other hand, the film’s budgetary limitations are noticeable at times, particularly in its sound design and fight choreography. Some action scenes feel amateurish, reminiscent of backyard wrestling rather than high-octane battles. Additionally, several scenes suffer from extremely low sound levels that make it hard to make out what’s being said.
Despite these technical shortcomings, Clone Cops remains an entertaining and thought-provoking film. Its offbeat humour, clever world-building, and sharp satirical edge set it apart from standard dystopian fare. While it may not reach the heights of something like Brazil, it still offers plenty of moments that will resonate with fans of dark, subversive sci-fi.
*** 3/5
Freestyle Digital Media have released Clone Cops on VOD and digital platforms.
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