Film Review - Impostor

In the 1950's much of science fiction was commenting on the fear of communism. Science Fiction movies, with very few exceptions, tended to lean towards the Bug Eyed Monster sub-genre. The monsters were Commies in rubber suits. Invasion of the Body Snatchers was probably the best of the communist fear movies. Pods from outer space would replicate and then kill off individual humans. The replicants were indistinguishable from the originals.

In 1953 Philip K. Dick wrote the short story The Impostor, which dealt with the interesting idea, am I human? Or was I just programmed to believe I am human? But it also tied well into the Communist scare.

Now this short story has been produced as a film. The prologue mentions when Dick wrote the story, I guess to try to impress us with his vision. That aside, we have a world were the human race is at war with unseen aliens from Alpha Centari. They want our land.

Spencer Olham (Gary Sinise) has grown up in the war. His father was killed in battle. This loss caused Olham to become a weapons designer. One day on the way to work, Olham is accused of being an alien replicant with a bomb implanted in his chest.

The fear of the human race is that we can't actually prove if the person is a replicant without killing him first. How many replicants are there walking around just waiting to explode? In light of current events, it reminds us that we don't know how many terrorists are in the United States. Until the terror happens, the terrorist looks just like you or me.

The film now becomes a bit like The Fugitive. Olham is being chased by a government agent while trying to find evidence to prove he his human. The government hunter is a driven man who would gladly sacrifice 10 people to save 10,000.

The chase is quite inventive, and not too long. In fact this movie is very well paced. And just to keep you in suspense, just as Olham is about to get proof one way or another about his humanity, he interrupted, so as not to spoil the ending.

All I'll say about the ending is that this movie doesn't cop out the way so many do. You can make guesses about my meaning if you want. I don't think you can guess this ending. I make guessing endings a sport and guessed completely wrong myself.

The Impostor is one of the better films I've seen in a long time. I know that's not saying much with the garbage Hollywood is putting out; but this is a real good movie.

Slight Suction!

Film Facts

Directed by Gary Fleder

Released in 2002

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Reviewed by Mongo