Movie Review: ‘Clone Cop’ – A Potential Cult Comedy That Stumbles More Than It Soars

In the ever-growing landscape of indie sci-fi comedies, ‘Clone Cops‘ aims to carve out a space as a wacky, absurdist satire. The film is directed by Danny Dones who also shares writing credits with Philip Cordell who is also one of the leads in the film.

‘Clone Cops‘ blends the idea of dystopian corporate control and policing with heist thrills in this almost chaotic slapstick-styled action comedy which stumbles under the weight of its ambition, delivering more frustration than fun.

It tells the story of a gang of outlaws held up in their hideout preparing for a major heist until they discover a shocking secret about who they are and what they’re up against. Set in a near-future dystopia where the world is controlled by a sinister mega-corporation called NefariCorp, who police people with an army of cloned police officers, who have been engineered in a lab.

As their leader (played by Quinnlan Ashe) is gravely injured, the rest of the gang must unravel shocking secrets about their own existence while fighting off increasingly bizarre waves of clone enforcers.

Phillip Cordell commits well enough to play every cloned officer without a mask on. He deserves some recognition as pulling off multiple versions of the same character is not a small feat. However, the character struggles with elevating the humour beyond its initial gag. The clones are meant to be exaggerated caricatures, yet they feel more repetitive than amusing. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast delivers performances that range from serviceable to stiff, sometimes bordering on the kind of awkwardness you’d expect from a lean-budget comedy skit. Henry Haggard for instance plays the role of Frank the villainous engineer responsible for the creation of the clones. He does his best to stay humorous and menacing but doesn’t quite find the balance right.

Beyond all this, the film intentionally offers some biting social commentary, particularly on unchecked corporate power, the dangers of automation, or even the absurdity of law enforcement excess. But instead of fully exploring these themes, ‘Clone Cops‘ leans too heavily on absurdist humour that doesn’t always land, dragging the experience into an exhausting loop of half-gags.

Visually, ‘Clone Cops‘ has a decent look and feel for an indie. The choice to have colours pop seems very deliberate. Perhaps to give the film a comic book aesthetic. Also, while some of the effects and action sequences show creativity, the execution often feels clunky, and the editing doesn’t always work in the film’s favour.

But where the film falters the most is how it struggles structurally. For a greater part of its runtime, it feels like a series of disconnected skits rather than one cohesive narrative. The periods that feel like a live-streaming TV show make this even more jammed up. I found myself struggling to keep focus on its core narrative with all the glaring distractions. And it is not until later that its intended satirical themes begun to reveal themselves to me.

For all its flaws, I will score this film 5/10. Some viewers, particularly those who thrive on intentionally weird, offbeat, midnight movies may find its sheer absurdity entertaining. But for most viewers, the film’s lack of strong comedic execution, uneven performances, and over-reliance on a single gimmick will make it a tough sell.

Granted, this feels like the kind of movie that could easily have several sequels and might even earn a cult following with time. But it’s so bizarre that a niche audience might find it ironically enjoyable. If you are looking for something that is not only intentional with being satirical but focuses well enough to drive home its message, this one might not be it for you.