Themes: Robots and Androids, Flight of the Innocent, Evil Aliens
Main Cast: Gary Sinise, Madeleine Stowe, Vincent D'Onofrio, Tony Shalhoub, Tim Guinee, Mekhi Phifer
Release Year: 2000
Country: US
Run Time: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
This long-delayed science fiction thriller from director Gary Fleder was actually filmed prior to his box-office hit Don't Say a Word (2001), which preceded it in theaters by several months. Based on a 1953 short story by Philip K. Dick, the film shares that schizophrenic author's long-running obsessions with concealed identity and humanity's potential inferiority to alternative life forms. Gary Sinise stars as Spencer John Olham, a respected government scientist in the year 2079 trying to devise a secret weapon that will help his fellow humans win a decade-long war with invading aliens that are cloning human subjects and using the replicas as walking time bombs. Suddenly, Olham is accused of being an alien spy and a nationwide manhunt to capture him ensues. With even his doctor wife (Madeleine Stowe) unsure that she can trust him, Olham must uncover the truth on his own, even as he's relentlessly pursued by Hathaway (Vincent D'Onofrio), a federal agent charged with destroying the clones. Imposter has a complicated history, originally produced in early 2000 as a 30-minute short to be included in an anthology entitled "The Light Years Trilogy," a project that never got off the ground. So impressed was Dimension Films with the completed piece, however, that the footage was incorporated into a new feature version. That film was then shuffled around the release schedule for more than a year as effects were completed, reshoots were ordered, and the film was recut for a PG-13 rating instead of its original R. The R-rated "director's cut" was later released on DVD. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Lindsay Crouse - Chancellor; Elizabeth Peña - Midwife; Brian Brophy - Military Official; Scott Burkholder - Jack Stoller; Gary Dourdan - Captain Burke; John Gatins - Patient - Soldier; Erica Gimpel - Newscaster; Jonelle Kennedy - screaming nurse; Ted King - RMR Operator; Kimberly Scott - Comms officer; Tracey Walter - Mr. Siegel; Melinda Ramos Renna - Reporter; Veena Bidasha - Frowning Nurse; Rachel Luttrell - Scan room nurse; Burt Bulos - Newscaster #3; Una Damon - Local newscaster; Golden Brooks - Cale's Sister; Arly Jover - Newscaster #2; Jason Beck - Gang Boy #2; Ivana Milicevic - Gang girl; Shane Brolly - Lieutenant Burrows; Maury Sterling - Comms Tech; Judy Jean Berns - Disgruntled Woman; Ellen Bradley - Nursing Mothing; Morty Coyle - Kissing Couple Man; Yvette Ocampo Coyle - Kissing couple woman; Cristos - Trooper #2; Bayani Ison - Squad leader; Elizabeth Kate - Maya look-alike; Malea McGuinness - Screeming nurse; Diane Mizota - Receptionist; Adam Rodriguez - Trooper #1; Shannon Saint Ryan - Zoner; Greg Serand - Gang boy #1; Mac Sinise - Young Spence; Giovanni Sirchia - Trooper #3; Julie Vitz - Typox Child; Tim Walsh - Arrested Engineer; Dwayne Wycoff - Esa Soldier
Credit
Kevin Jay Cozen - Art Director, Kent Demaine - Art Director, Steve Arguello - Animator, Brandon Davis - Animator, Akira Orikasa - Animator, Brett Paton - Animator, Don Coufal - Boom Operator, Donovan Dear - Boom Operator, Heidi Levitt - Casting, John Papsidera - Casting, Cary Granat - Co-producer, Andrew Rona - Co-producer, Michael Zoumas - Co-producer, Abigail Murray - Costume Designer, Steve Love - First Assistant Director, James Sbardellati - First Assistant Director, Gary Fleder - Director, Bob Ducsay - Editor, Armen Minasian - Editor, Daniel Strange - Editor, Michael Phillips - Executive Producer, Cary Granat - Executive Producer, Michael Zoumas - Executive Producer, Dobbie Schiff - Executive Producer, Pat E. Johnson - Fights Choreographer, Leslie Ann Anderson - Hair Styles, Ben Robin - Hair Styles, Ken Haber - Location Manager, David Witz - Line Producer, Mark Isham - Composer (Music Score), David Schulhof - Musical Direction/Supervision, James Ryder - Makeup, Michelle Vittone-McNeil - Makeup, Justin Henderson - Makeup, Ben Robin - Makeup, Craig Smith - Makeup, Todd Masters - Makeup Special Effects, Johnny Carls - Camera Operator, Nelson Coates - Production Designer, Rick Bota - Cinematographer, Robert Elswit - Cinematographer, Martin F. Katz - Producer, Gary Sinise - Producer, Daniel Lupi - Producer, Jennifer Fong - Producer, Gary Fleder - Producer, Jossamber Stevens - Producer, Art Rochester - Production Sound, Steve Genewick - Recording, Charlie Paakkari - Recording, Colin de Rouin - Set Designer, Harry E. Otto - Set Designer, Fanee Aaron - Set Designer, Steve Maslow - Sound Mixer, Richard Schexnayder - Sound Mixer, Art Rochester - Sound/Sound Designer, Chino Binamo - Stunts, Kevin Jackson - Stunts, Cheryl Lawson - Stunts, John Meier - Stunts, Steve Picerni - Stunts, John Rottger - Stunts, Erik Stabenau - Stunts, Eddie Braun - Stunts, Hal Burton - Stunts, Phil Culotta - Stunts, James Lew - Stunts, Jack Carpenter - Stunts, Jeff Habberstad - Stunts, Cliff Happy - Stunts, Mark Hicks - Stunts, Pat Romano - Stunts, Walter Scott - Stunts, Danny Wong - Stunts, Brian Burrows - Stunts, Charlie Picerni - Stunts, Sam Maloof - Stunts, Tony Boggs - Stunts, April Weeden-Washington - Stunts, Bobby Aldridge - Stunts, Elle Alexander - Stunts, Bruce Babor - Stunts, Steve Boyles - Stunts, Tom Bruggeman - Stunts, Andy Cheng - Stunts, Ritchie Copenhaver - Stunts, Jared Eddo - Stunts, Terri Garland - Stunts, Debby Haberstad - Stunts, Maguerite Happy - Stunts, Toby Holguin - Stunts, Kim Koski - Stunts, Irving Lewis - Stunts, Janie Liszweski - Stunts, R.L. Roberts - Stunts, Tim Warner - Stunts, Billy Washington - Stunts, Mike Watson - Stunts, Nancy Young - Stunts, Hugh A. O'Brien - Stunts, Terry J. Leonard - Stunts Coordinator, Chuck Picerni, Jr. - Stunts Coordinator, David Witz - Unit Production Manager, Daniel Lupi - Unit Production Manager, David N. Twohy - Screenwriter, Scott Rosenberg - Screenwriter, Ehren Kruger - Screenwriter, Mark Protosevich - Screenwriter, Caroline Case - Screenwriter, Joshua Harris - Production Assistant, Dana McClure - Production Assistant, Lee Sbardellati - Production Assistant, Adam D. P. Martin - Production Assistant, Danny Bress - Production Assistant, Mike Currie - Production Assistant, Benjamin Garvik - Production Assistant, Rick Bota - Second Unit Camera, Brad Kuehn - Visual Effects Supervisor, George Murphy - Visual Effects Supervisor, Laurel Klick - Visual Effects Supervisor, Bobby Dunn - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Kevin Hyman - Executive in Charge of Production, Deborah Wuliger - Unit Publicist, Jonathan Silver - Additional Editing, Dobbie Schiff - Digital Effects, Eugene D. Clinesmith - First Assistant Camera, Edward Gutentag - First Assistant Camera, Dwight D. Campbell - Gaffer, Chris Oliver - Grip, Shawn Whelan - Grip, Nick Beaird - Grip, Anthony Mollicone - Grip, Chris Portugal - Grip, Jeffrey Stewart - Key Grip, Benny Beaird - Key Grip, Lionel Portugal - Key Grip, Tom Carlson - Music Editor, Danielle Wright - Post Production Coordinator, Ruth Hasty - Post Production Supervisor, Michele Carmel - Production Coordinator, Barry Franenberg - Properties Master, Mastersfx Inc. - Prosthetic Makeup Effects, Elizabeth Ludwick - Script Supervisor, Peter Merwin - Second Assistant Director, Mark Hansson - Second Assistant Director, Rich Stickler - Second Assistant Director, Donald Flick - Sound Effects Director, Hamilton Sterling - Sound Effects Director, George Simpson - Sound Effects Director, Michael Chock - Sound Effects Director, Howell Gibbons - Sound Effects Director, Clay Pinney - Special Effects Coordinator, Kimberly Wright - Still Photographer, Mark Mangini - Supervising Sound Editor, Eric Warren Lindemann - Supervising Sound Editor, Joseph Grossberg - Visual Effects Producer, Susan Norkin - Visual Effects Producer, Jeff Olson - Visual Effects Producer, Jonathan Stone - Visual Effects Producer, Darren Le Gallo - Art Department Assistant, Andrew Reeder - Assistant Art Director, Matt Bilski - Assistant Production Coordinator, Shannon Petska - Assistant Production Coordinator, Caryn Marcus - Assistant Properties, Gloria Murphy - Assistant Properties, Jason D. Wolf - Assistant Properties, Sonny Pettijohn - Assistant Sound Editor, Eric Wycoff - Best Boy Electric, Kevin "Rambo" Fitzgerald - Best Boy Grip, Zara Altbach - Casting Assistant, Wendy O'Brien-Livingstone - Casting Associate, James Plannette - Chief Lighting Technician, Douglas A. Womack - Construction Coordinator, Avram D. Gold - Dialogue Editor, Jeff Kunkel - Dolly Grip, R. Michael Dechellis - Electrician, Peter Freeman - Electrician, Duane Katz - Electrician, Robert Lackey - Electrician, Eric Wolfson-Sagot - Electrician, Joshua Orenstein - First Assistant Accountant, Tzarina V. Edillon Burrell - First Assistant Editor, John Cucci - Foley Artist, Dan O'Connell - Foley Artist, Solange S. Schwalbe - Foley Editor, Steve Borgese - Greensman, Javier Arrieta - Key Costumer, Linda S. Cormany - Key Costumer, Amy Elise Roberts - Key Costumer, Kenneth L. Wescott - Leadman, Courtney Heflin - Post Production Assistant, Alison Cannon - Production Accountant, Joshua Marks - Production Accountant, Tracy Lee McGrath - Production Executive, Jennifer Lobban - Second Assistant Accountant, David Katz - Second Second Assistant Director, Kurt V. Hulett - Set Dresser, Richard M. Leon - Set Dresser, John H. V. McElroy - Set Dresser, Nick Rymond - Set Dresser, Kevin MacCarthy - Storyboard Artist, Industrial Light & Magic - Visual Effects, Computer Cafe - Visual Effects, Threshold Digital Research Labs - Visual Effects, Digital Firepower - Visual Effects, Blackbox Digital - Visual Effects, Cinema Production Services - Visual Effects, Metrolight Studios - Visual Effects, Netter Digital - Visual Effects, Anne McCulley - Set Decorator, Bob Weinstein - Co-Executive Producer, Harvey Weinstein - Co-Executive Producer, Philip K. Dick - Short Story Author
Gary Sinise plays Spencer Olham, a top-secret government weapons designer who is arrested by a clandestine government organization on suspicion of being a replicant created by the hostile alien race wanting to take over Earth. He learns from the group's leader, Major Hathaway (Vincent D'Onofrio) that the replicants are perfect copies of the original human specimen (complete with memories), except they carry within their chests a small nuclear bomb, which cannot be detected without opening up the chest of the individual; in effect, killing them. The organization captured an alien transmission that stated that Olham's replicant was to assassinate the chancellor (Lindsay Crouse) when he came into contact with her, but Olham defends his humanity.
He manages to escape the interrogation room and has various adventures on the run until Olham and his wife (Madeleine Stowe) are trapped by government troops in a forest near an alien crash site. When one half of the cockpit is pulled away, revealing the murdered corpse of Olham's real wife, the government troops turn their guns on the surprised replicant to prevent her bomb from detonating. However, when the other half of the cockpit is pulled back, revealing Olham's corpse, the other Olham finally realizes he was indeed the replicant the government thought he was. The words he utters on seeing the real Olham's corpse cause the detonation sequence to engage. Hathaway turns around at the last moment to see Olham's eyes turn black and the bomb in his chest explode, destroying everything within several miles and claiming the lives of thousands of people. Although many people have died, the alien plan to destroy the weapons project with the bomb fails.
The film adaptation was originally planned to be one segment of a three-part sci-fi anthology film titled Light Years, but was the only segment filmed before the project fell apart. The other shorts were to be adaptations of Isaac Asimov's story "The Last Question" by Bryan Singer and Donald A. Wollheim's story "Mimic" by Matthew Robbins. "Mimic" was eventually adapted into a film of the same name, but with a different script.
The short was originally written by Scott Rosenberg, with revisions by Mark Protosevich and Caroline Case. When it was decided to expand the short into a feature-length film, additional scenes were written by Richard Jeffries, Ehren Kruger, and David Twohy.
Burn areas in Running Springs, California, were utilized to create the space craft crash site. Sets were constructed in Angeles National Forest and in numerous areas around Los Angeles. Most of the interiors were built on stage in Manhattan Beach, including a two-story hospital and 3-story pharmacy, and a commuter transport station with articulated commuter "bugs".
The movie was made on an estimated $40 million budget.
Reception
Impostor received poor to average and some positive reviews from critics.[1]James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave the film two and a half stars (out of four), saying "there are a few moderately diverting subplots and the storyline eventually gets somewhere," but added that "Impostor wears out its welcome by the half-hour mark, and doesn't do anything to stir things up until the climax. You could spend the entire midsection of this movie in the bathroom and not miss much."[1]
William Arnold of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer gave the film a mildly positive review, praising lead actor Gary Sinise's ability to "hold the film together and provide a strong, sympathetic human focus. The movie's atmosphere has a very definite Blade Runner feel."[2]Maitland McDonagh of TV Guide gave the film three stars out of four, saying it packed "a real emotional wallop," but suggested that it would have worked better as the 40-minute short film it was originally intended to be.[3]
Keith Phipps of The Onion's A.V. Club gave the film a negative review, saying that "it essentially uses the setup of [the story] as a bookend to one long, dull chase scene."[4] Robert Koehler of Variety also criticized the film, calling it "a stubbornly unexciting ride into the near future."[5]
