Cloning has been done before but only, to our knowledge, with things like animals. Does anyone still remember Dolly the Sheep from the 90s? Regardless, the bigger question is will humanity ever get to see itself cloned? And what rights will clones have? Are they an extension of the original person or are they an individual the same as if they were born from the womb?
These are some of the questions thatMickey 17, the latest movie about cloning byfamed director Bong Joon-ho, attempts to explore. Is it one of the best movies about cloning or have there been better ones? Let’s go through some standouts from a wide array of genres. There may be slight spoilers to set up the concept of cloing in these movies. They will be ranked based on how prevalent the cloning process is in the movie along with the overall quality.
The Boys from Brazilis based on a novel and a real-life movement of Nazis fleeing to Brazil and South America as a whole followingWorld War 2. A reporter starts investigating some former Nazis gathering. When he goes missing, an old Nazi Hunter, Ezra, starts investigating the reporter’s claims. Fans of the Metal Gear series can see some similarities in how the mystery unfolds. Given that it’s about Nazis though, viewers can probably already guess who gets cloned in but how is the real surprise.
Clive and Elsa are scientists tasked with recreating organic material in the hopes of being able to clone human organs inSplice. After failed pitches and being forbidden to continue their research, the two take a risk and use a bit of human DNA to make a clone. This being turns into their mutated child named Dren who goes through multiple phases of life. Dren’s DNA is eventually revealed to have been taken from Elsa, making her a clone and one that ultimately does not like her mother as much as her father in a very creepy way. Let’s just say things go into themonster horror genrerather quickly.
Star Warswas not the only clone-based movie Ewan McGregorwas involved in.The Islandfollows him in a colony wherein everyone wears white, has to eat a certain diet, and they cannot leave on their own. There is no explanation as to why other than those who get to leave, which is rare, are treated like gods.
There is a twist to this because this colony is one comprised of clones and when people get to leave, it’s because they are being harvested for their organs. The rich pay a premium to secretly house organ farms like this on the down low and that’s all that needs to be spoiled for now other than to say this is quite the thriller.
Everyone has dreamed about being able to goof off while a servant or clone does their job for them at one point or another, right? Well, that’s the plot ofMultiplicityas Doug,played by Michael Keaton, gets offered the opportunity to clone himself on the down low. Doug gets a bit greedy though and splits himself so much that each clone has a distinct personality from the tough guy to the more relaxed and clean version of himself. It’s still a fun comedy that looks on the lighter side of cloning with its only faults perhaps being some dated jokes from the 90s.
Cloning inMickey 17’sfuture is illegal on Earth but it’s not in space. A failed politician, Kenneth Marshall played by Mark Ruffalo, proposes the idea of setting up a new colony in space with the help of experimental cloning dubbed as Expendables. Mickey,played by Robert Pattinson, goes through multiple deaths and gets cloned every time. Mickey 17 is the latest clone in the colony’s many experiments to find a home. While there are those on the ship that like Mickey, many treat him and his clones like nothing more than recycled garbage. There’s a twist to the cloning process too and overall it’s an interesting look at cloning being as easy as buying a 3D Printer at Best Buy.
Pokemon: The First Moviewas, in fact, the first theatrical movie of the franchiseand it was an explosive hit. The movie starts with Team Rocket scientists cloning Mewtwo from Mew only for it to break out. Given its distrust of humanity, Mewtwo leaves and creates an island paradise.
It invites trainers from across the world to compete in a tournament just to get their Pokemon and build a clone army. It’s clone versus clone in this one and it’s still a tearjerker in some spots with excellent animation that holds up decades later.
The Prestige is one of Christopher Nolan’s best movies featuring two rival magicians played by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. The movie takes place over countless years with the two competing over who is the greatest. There is one trick that cannot be replicated and the reason why completely changes the movie from historical fiction to sci-fi. Let’s just say clones are involved and in the darkest way possible. It’s another end-game reveal so it’s best just to watch and find out how the trick is done.
Many may forget that the originalJurassic Park, and the entire franchise, are based on clones. Scientists find a piece of amber with dinosaur DNA in it and with the help of other amphibious DNA, they can clone and create dinosaurs. The first three movies are all about the tragedies surrounding this would-be amusement park but the latest films explore something darker. InJurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the fifth movie chronologically, it’s revealed that a girl, Maisie, is actually a clone too. So far, the franchise has yet to explore human cloning beyond Maisie. As this isn’t too important to the overall franchise, it’s not that big of a deal to spoil Maisie. The more important thing aboutJurassic Parkis the lesson it tries to preach about cloning and playing god. In the immortal words of Dr. Ian Malcolm, “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”
