TEKNOLUST
Directed & Written by: Lynn Hershman Leeson.
Produced by: Lynn Hershman Leeson, Youssef Vahabzadeh, John Bradford King & Oscar Gubernati.
Director of Photography: Hiro Narita.
Edited by: Lisa Fruchtman.
Music by: Klaus Badelt & Marc Tschanz.
Released by: ThinkFilm.
Country of Origin: USA. 85 min. Rated: R.
With: Tilda Swinton, Jeremy Davies & Karen Black

Tilda Swinton (Adaptation, Orlando) proves once again her acting prowess in this comedic sci-fi film where she plays a bio-geneticist, Rosetta Stone, who has downloaded her DNA to create three self replicating automatons. Swinton also portrays these three color-coordinated characters: Ruby, Marine and Olive. There is one catch - the creations need injections of spermatozoa to stay alive. It is seductress Ruby’s duty to supply her sisters with the fluid. Meanwhile, Rosetta keeps her creations hidden from the world until an epidemic breaks out among the men Ruby has depleted and the origin points to her. While out on the prowl, Ruby discovers emotion and love with Sandy (Davies), an idiosyncratic young slacker working in a copy shop.

Although the film is innovative and creative with an intricate plot line, we are left with a feeling of incompleteness. The sheer concept of the film is intriguing enough to suck in the viewer, and with Ruby, Marine and Olive depending on sperm to live, its bold sensuality can not be denied. There are moments, however, when the story line drags, causing scenes to be boring, even to a sci-fi junkie. As the film is played out, we are given the dilemma of a cyber-human’s realization of love and even the trite underlying theme of morality in genetic cloning. Characterizations, especially those of Marine and Olive, are left underdeveloped and the sudden ending seems somewhat tacked on. We are offered a clichéd reminder from Rosetta that “our wildest dreams can become reality,” an adage that’s hard to swallow when seemingly forced into a mind-shattering concept. Lisette Johnson
February 20, 2004