Surrogates

Surrogates

Year: 2009

Runtime: 89 min

Language: English

Director: Jonathan Mostow

ActionSci-FiThriller

In a world where humans live vicariously through perfect robotic avatars, the notion of danger and consequence is a distant memory. But when a murder shatters this utopia, FBI agent Greer must confront the harsh reality behind the surrogate phenomenon, abandoning his own synthetic self to uncover the truth.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Surrogates (2009)
Trace every key event in Surrogates (2009) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.
1

Introduction to Surrogates

The movie sets the stage in 2017, in a world where humans have largely abandoned their physical forms for sleek, remotely-controlled synthetic bodies known as surrogates. This societal shift has granted individuals the ability to live in more attractive and idealized versions of themselves, leading to isolation from the physical world and a life free from pain, crime, and fear.

2017
2

Murder in the Nightclub

The film's tension escalates when a masked figure commits murder at a nightclub, shocking a teenage boy and stirring concern amongst the authorities. This act of violence disrupts the peaceful existence that society had come to accept and sets off a chain of events leading to a deep investigation.

Nightclub
3

Agent Tom Greer Takes the Case

FBI agent Tom Greer is introduced, a man who himself uses a surrogate as he delves into the perplexing case of this shocking murder. His connection to the case becomes even more intense as he learns that the victim, Jarod Canter, is the son of Doctor Lionel Canter, the creator of the surrogate technology.

4

Discovery of the Deceased Operator

As Greer investigates further alongside his partner Peters, they uncover a chilling twist: the surrogate that was initially thought to have committed the murder is actually controlled by a deceased human operator. This revelation highlights the dark undercurrents of the surrogate system and raises more questions about its implications.

5

Greer's Personal Struggles

Amidst the investigation, Greer battles his own grief, having lost his son in an accident. This loss has driven his wife, Maggie, to seek solace in her surrogate, complicating Greer's emotional state as he juggles his duties as an agent and his personal life.

6

Increasing Body Count

The body count begins to rise, revealing a sinister connection between the surrogates and real human deaths. As Greer and Peters dig deeper, they find troubling evidence that suggests the security previously assumed with surrogacy is breaking down, leading to dire consequences for users.

7

Encounter with The Dreads

Greer’s investigation brings him face-to-face with The Dreads, a rebellious faction opposed to the surrogate lifestyle. Led by the mysterious Prophet, this group embodies the growing resistance against a society that has grown overly reliant on synthetic bodies.

Dread Reservation
8

The Deadly Weapon Revealed

As Greer delves deeper into the activities of The Dreads, he discovers the existence of a deadly weapon capable of destroying surrogates while harming their human operators as collateral damage. The implications of this weapon threaten to drastically alter the balance of power in the surrogate-dependent society.

9

Confrontation with The Prophet

Greer's investigation culminates at The Dread Reservation, where he confronts The Prophet. It becomes clear that the conflict surrounding surrogacy is more complex than he initially thought, with Doctor Canter also intertwined in the unfolding chaos.

The Dread Reservation
10

Race Against Time

With control of the deadly weapon shifting, Greer finds himself in a race against time to prevent a catastrophic event that could eradicate surrogacy. With military involvement intensifying, the stakes escalate as he persists in seeking the truth behind the weapon.

11

Greer’s Crucial Decision

In a gripping climax, Greer faces a monumental decision that could determine the fates of both operators and surrogates. He must choose whether to save the human operators at the cost of the surrogates or uphold the illusory world they have built upon.

12

Virus Outbreak

As the weapon's virus is unleashed, it triggers global chaos. Surrogate bodies are destroyed en masse, leaving operators to confront their reality for the first time, which ironically preserves their lives but shatters the existence they had known.

13

Return to Reality

Following the devastation, Greer returns home to reconnect with his wife, Maggie, who has been stripped of her surrogate identity. In this poignant reunion, they both confront their true selves amidst a world irrevocably changed.

14

Society's Adaptation

With the aftermath of the surrogate era settling in, society faces the daunting task of adapting to life without the facade of surrogates. Reports begin to circulate about the potential for change, leaving many to wonder what the future holds.

Last Updated: November 03, 2024 at 11:22

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