Cyberpunk Review » The Gene Generation

March 16, 2010

The Gene Generation

Movie Review By: Mr. Roboto

Year: 2007

Directed by: Pearry Teo

Written by: Pearry Teo & Keith Collea

IMDB Reference

Degree of Cyberpunk Visuals: High

Correlation to Cyberpunk Themes: Moderate

Key Cast Members:

  • Michele: Bai Ling
  • Jackie: Parry Shen
  • Christian: Alec Newman
  • Randall: Daniel Zacapa
  • Rating: 6 out of 10


    Michele shows her guns

    “It’s like whatever path we choose in this life, this generation has been set up to extinguish itself.” - Christian

    Overview: One of several DVDs I have that I’ve been trying to get to reviewing (this one for Quiet Earth, better late than never I suppose), The Gene Generation follows the path taken by Ultraviolet and the live-action Aeon Flux with a gun-totting, leather clad femme fatale working for the government or some group-entity to bring law and order or some justice to a dystopic future. This time around, Bai Ling is carrying the guns, and if you’ve ever seen her photos on the nets, you’ll definitely love her guns.

    The rest of the movie, maybe not so much. Not exactly Ghost in the Shell/Matrix/Blade Runner quality level, but certainly a better way to waste 90 minutes of free time. Plus you’ll get to hear aggrotech act Combichrist when they were at their peak with ditties like this:

     

    The Story: Olympia, Washington, US: Hayden Technologies creates the Transcoder, a glove-like device that manipulates DNA to heal… or kill. A Transcoder accident pollutes Olympia, forcing authorities to construct a “wall” around the city to insure that the pollutant does not leave, but the people want to.

    Olympia wall (The Gene Generation)

    To leave, people need to undergo DNA screening to insure that they are not contaminated. This gives rise to the practice of “DNA hacking:” Using a clone of the transcoder and a sample of a clean person’s DNA, a hacker could re-sequence to clean his own DNA, while the “donor” was killed of due to genetic mutation. The government hires assassins to take out the hackers.

    Michele is an assassin who is trying to save money from her jobs to get out of Olympia. Unfortunately, her efforts are hindered by her own brother, Jackie, whose drinking and gambling has forced him to take the money in order to pay off a brutal loan shark. Desperate for money, Jackie breaks into Christian’s apartment and takes the transcoder, unaware of what it is. Michele must now track down the transcoder, save her brother from the loan shark, and protect Christian from those looking for him and the transcoder.

     

    The Gene Generation

    Tentacle porn much? When I first announced that I was going to review this movie, I was told that it wasn’t and easy watch. Being a cyberpunk movie, I knew that certain aspects would be a potential turn-off. There is blood… lots of blood flowed throughout, but that was expected. What wasn’t expected was how the transcoder killed people: The target’s DNA was mutated to create tentacles that erupted from within, bursting out of the mouth, ears, nose, and wherever there was a break in the skin. What has been seen…

    Fortunately, all the blood, sweat, and city grime makes Michele take showers frequently:

    Michele takes a shower (The Gene Generation)

    Definitely worth an extra star in my book.

    On the downside, a sex scene between Michele and Christian is intermixed with Jackie being beaten by Randall’s henchmen. Do not want.

     

    Conclusion: Difficult to watch, they said. Well, not TOO difficult for me, even with the tentacle violence. Hopefully you’re not too squeamish about tentacles. At least Bai Ling’s eye-candy makes it worthwhile. The rest is on par with Ultraviolet and Aeon Flux (2005), so those who love kick-ass babes will definitely get a kick out of Gene Generation.

    SEQUEL ALERT! A post last month from Quiet Earth has announced that filming has started this month for the sequel Gene Generation: War of The Bloodlines.

    Pearry told me that: “This one will be very dark. A hyper realistic / shooting documentary style and lots and lots of body modifications. We’re shooting it mad max style, set in the badlands… outside the cities.” Shooting will start in March with a completion date of September.

    By my estimates, that means release will be around the first half of 2011. Stay tuned for future news as they develop…

    Comments

    March 16, 2010

    Dman said:

    Thanks for the review.. am torrenting it now. If I get around to it, will post my thoughts =)

    Keep up the good work..

    March 19, 2010

    Feyhra said:

    So what if the writing is terrible? The visuals are still a feast and it has Bai Ling in it!

    codefairy said:

    That film was unbelievably stupid, to be fair. :( Bad actors, bad writing. Yeah, Bai Ling served as an eyecandy for cybergoths and the soundtrack was cool, but there’s nothing else to it. Hacking DNA has such a great potential, but instead they’ve just made a tedious and pointless music video to appeal to Combichrist fanbase..

    March 21, 2010

    Skrýmir said:

    I’ve never really liked EBM or Combichrist. I have a major problem with Cyberpunk turning into a fashion statement. This movie is a great example of that. this movie wasn’t horrible. However, I don’t see what the big deal about Bai Ling is she’s pretty Mannish looking, this movie looks like it’d appeal to Anime fans, but most Anime fans are idiots.

    March 22, 2010

    G4sM4sk said:

    I’ve never seen this but based on the first picture alone, I’m going to have to download it. I have to agree though with Skrýmir on it not being all style but I think it has a place.. I’ll, Like Dman; let you know once I’ve watched it.

    March 23, 2010

    The Gene Generation | White Dragon said (pingback):

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    May 24, 2010

    Dman said:

    Watched it. Two words: Missed Opportunity.

    Easy to say I would have done better etc.. but seriously, if I had the Bai Ling, looking as smoking hot as she did in this movie, a cyberpunk theme & access to Combichrists back catalogue, I’d pull off something a lot better than this.

    Borders on unwatchable. Reminds me of being a teenager who would watch something just because it had a hot chick in it.. and for a white guy who has a thing for industrial, goth chicks & well, asian chicks.. it is a visual feast.

    But still a missed opportunity.

    June 10, 2010

    Louie Louie said:

    This is one of those films which have amazing visuals and lame everything else.

    June 12, 2010

    Stormtrooper of Death said:

    Dont forget the music from Combichrist. their music is kinda kewl.


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