Replicas (2018)

Directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff. Starring Keanu Reeves, Thomas Middleditch, Alice Eve, John Ortiz, Emily Alyn Lind, Emjay Anthony. [PG-13]

Reeves plays a neuroscientist (sure) who’s working on synthetic biotech and memory transplants when he takes his loving wife and three straight-from-the-catalog kids on a boating trip (so, yeah, they’re obviously doomed). After halfheartedly skimming the surface of the ethical considerations, Reeves goes about cloning the fam and uploading their thoughts into the specimens…but not before erasing all memories of the youngest kid, ‘cause the poor guy couldn’t save ‘em all. Implausible muddle of a second-rate science fiction idea, loaded with goofy plot twists in the second half, and character reactions that are so awkwardly labored, it’s surprising that “they’re all actually aliens/robots” isn’t one of them. The bizarre and abrupt ending isn’t funny, but don’t be surprised if it still inspires laughter. Filmed in 2016, presumably to fulfill a promise to occupy a contracted amount of space in Wal-Mart’s DVD bargain bin.

26/100