Wetware is one of those films that starts off flat and gets progressively worse. It’s a case where the writer/director has lofty aspirations, but can’t figure out how to pull it off in the slightest.
The premise is decent. Mankind has gotten tired of doing menial tasks and corporations come up with a way to alter the dregs of society to perform the basic functions. Volunteers lose their memories and essentially become drones.
One of the creators of this tech, Briggs (Cameron Scoggins), apparently has gotten bored and has begun altering the codes. His latest alterations are to Jack (Bret Lada) and Kay (Morgan Wolf), to make them suitable for covert and deadlier operations.
For some reason, Briggs decides to implant a code to make a Kay fall in love with him. Briggs isn’t a likable character and comes off like a serious creeper.
Director/writer Jay Craven tries to juggle too many plots and his scripting is haphazard with clunky dialog and confusing pacing. Craven definitely comes off like he thought he’d made this mind-blowing thoughtful masterpiece. The reality is far different.
Much of the film’s plot requires a significant amount of assembling disjointed conversations together as Craven’s dissemination of information assumes he’s got the viewer hooked. That’s a bad assumption as the film progresses so slowly and awkwardly that it’s not worth the investment.
Later on in the film, a character becomes infected with a virus. Beyond just looking at it through a 2020 lens, there is a shocking amount of disregard for a clear outbreak scenario. Hypothetically that could be the most interesting aspect of the film, but like everything else it’s a plot point that just comes and goes.
Jack and Kay are supposed to be robot-like, but that doesn’t explain the flat performances of Lada and the rest of the cast. Wolf manages to overcome the poor script, but Craven doesn’t do her many favors either.
Jerry O’Connnell is the film’s big name, but he should probably keep this one buried deep on his IMDB page.
For a far more engaging and interesting take on the thin line of artificially created beings, check out the current generation video game Detroit.
Wetware is a limp, uninspired sci-if thriller that offers little to the genre or for viewers seeking a unique or remotely entertaining experience.
Rating: 2 out of 10
