Miracles Happen The fear of death is one of the primordial fears of humans and for some, it is the most frightening. This movie deals with the reality of life: it doesn't last forever! I totally enjoyed the profundity of this movie and Ben Kingsley's interpretation of the main character is impeccable. Finally a real science fiction movie and not the usual action story packed with impressive CGI. If you, like me, enjoy true science fiction movies, this is a must watch!

wheatley-20230 Disappointing given the interesting premise. Watch Altered Carbon on Netflix instead.

nicholls_les Now I recently watched two movies pretty close together. The first was 'The Girl on a Train', a movie that the critics raved on about. Then I saw this movie 'Self /Less' and to be honest only bought the DVD because it was cheap. Now 'The Girl on a Train' was one of the biggest pieces of cinematic junk I have had the misfortune to watch, whereas this movie 'Self /Less' was a really good movie.The acting was first rate with all the lead roles being done brilliantly. Ben Kingsley was outstanding but both Ryan Reynolds and Natalie Martinez were also really good. Oh and the little girl acting as the daughter (I don't know her name) was wonderful and an actress to watch out for in the future I am sure. The story is a good one and the film moves at a good pace, fast enough to keep you interested but not so fast as to lose the thriller element.I seriously wonder how movie critics and reviewers get and keep their jobs. If a movie says 'Critics are raving about...' I will tend to give that movie a wide birth.As for this under rated movie, it is well worth a watch.

Turfseer Self/less is called a "science fiction thriller" but there's little sci-fi here at all. It's based on a much earlier flick from the 60s, Seconds, directed by John Frankenheimer. As with its predecessor, the plot involves an older man's soul transferred into the body of a much younger individual. In this case the older man is Damien Hale (Ben Kingsley) who's dying of terminal cancer. He's a business tycoon worth billions but regrets his estranged relationship with his daughter, an attorney for a non-profit who champions liberal causes.Hale finds out about a Professor Albright who has developed a technique called "shedding," enabling the transfer into a younger man's body. Albright however lies to Hale stating that the new body has been artificially grown. After Hale goes through the shedding procedure, he wakes up in a new body (Ryan Reynolds) and is given a new identity as Edward Kidner. Albright gives Kidner special medication to prevent hallucinations, but soon Kidner figures out that the hallucinations are memories of an actual person Albright used as Hale's new substitute.Kyle Smith writing in the NY Post points out one of the major flaws of the film involves Reynolds' performance which "doesn't even bother to maintain a consistent personality between the two bodies inhabited by the same mind and soul. Kingsley's character is a total bastard but Reynolds's is cool, relaxed and kind-hearted, part frat boy and part golden retriever."A larger problem is with the plot which sheds any pretensions to good science fiction and devolves into a mindless action "thriller." Kidner soon seeks out his wife and child from his past life and finds out he used to be a former soldier named Mark; he seeks to save them from Albright and his men who consist of a multitude of bad guys armed to the teeth and bent on doing Kidner in--as he poses a threat to expose the organization for its unethical use of live subjects. No need to recap most of the rest of the plot which features a series of standard chase scenes and shoot-em-ups. Kidner of course ultimately dispatches his unpleasant opponents and also discovers that going off the medication restores him to his former self—that's of course what he does but before Hale disappears entirely, he has one last touching moment with his estranged daughter and then leaves a parting video message for Mark explaining everything that's transpired.Self/less has all the hallmarks of a straight to cable production although it did make a modest profit during a live feature release, bolstered by some success in the foreign market. While there are other films out today that are far weaker than this, it's still should be regarded as thoroughly mediocre.