Is it possible to make an entertaining sci-fi movie for less than it cost to outfit Johnny Depp as The Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland? Well, the folks at New Jersey’s Pandora Machine seem to think so and, judging by Clone Hunter, it would appear they are correct.
In Clone Hunter, a freelance clone hunter named Cane [Ben Thomas] and his partner, Rachel [Angela Funk] are hired to retrieve a runaway clone [Thomas Rowen] by its owner [Vincent Marano] – described as “a brutal Oligarch”. Problem is, the clone, in order to run away has to have become sentient – and Cain doesn’t do sentients! Unless, there’s a lot more money involved [hunting sentients is highly illegal].
What follows is a pretty straightforward sci-fi B-movie: a bit of fighting, some chases, a robot or two, a cute kid, electric brain-draining equipment and so forth. What elevates Clone Hunter is a combination of wit, unusual casting, tons of creativity on no budget to speak of, a brief flash of gratuitous nudity, and a CG cat [done well enough that it should’ve cost more than the film’s entire budget!] – not to mention a clear love of the kind of ingenuity that made Roger Corman so successful.
None of the characters look like Hollywood types – except maybe for the clone, who balances being Hollywood handsome by being the one over-the-top character in the film. That doesn’t mean that the actors are homely. Funk is sexy in a very real way, and Thomas has the kind of good looks of someone who actually works for a living.
While the performances may not be up to the royal Shakespearean Academy, I’ve seen worse in critically acclaimed mainstream films, so there’s that, too. And director Andrew Bellware knows how to get around his budget [listen to the commentary for a lesson in how to land a spacecraft – also on how to continue a commentary once the alcohol runs out…].
Now that I’ve seen Clone Hunter, I have a hankering to see if Pandora Machine’s other movies are as inventive [and as micro-budgeted…].
Features: Audio Commentary [Andrew Bellware and Producer Laura Schlactmeyer]; Interview with the Director; Outtakes; Trailer, and Photo Gallery.
Grade: Clone Hunter – B
Grade: Features B+
Final Grade: B