Teknolust (2002)
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28% of critics liked it
(32 reviews) -
37% of users liked it
(786 ratings)
In this offbeat sci-fi-drama, Rosetta Stone (Tilda Swinton) is a scientist specializing in biogenetics who has made a major breakthrough in artificial biological engineering. Rosetta has created a type of Self-Replicating Automaton, which looks like a human being, but is in fact part machine and… More In this offbeat sci-fi-drama, Rosetta Stone (Tilda Swinton) is a scientist specializing in biogenetics who has made a major breakthrough in artificial biological engineering. Rosetta has created a type of Self-Replicating Automaton, which looks like a human being, but is in fact part machine and part living organism. In order to survive and reproduce, Rosetta discovers her SRAs need certain human genetic compounds that are found only in male semen. Hoping to kill two birds with one stone, Rosetta programs one of her SRAs, Ruby (also played by Swinton) to seduce men Rosetta has found through a website offering paid "fantasy dates," which will provide both needed materials and ready cash. Ruby brings back used condoms, and shares the contents with her fellow SRAs Marine and Olive (both also played by Swinton). However, after their assignations with Ruby, the men find themselves with a strange illness that leaves them with skin outbreaks and the inability to perform sexually. Two health investigators (James Urbaniak and Karen Black) begin interviewing the men infected, which sends them on a trail leading back to Rosetta and her research lab. Meanwhile, the more Ruby comes in contact with humans, the more she finds herself falling under the sway of human emotions, and she finds herself falling in love with Sandy (Jeremy Davies), a shy man working at a photocopying center. Shot on digital video equipment by acclaimed cinematographer Hiro Narita, Teknolust was screened at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Lynn Hershman Leeson, Lynn Hershman-Leeson
- Written By
- Lynn Hershman Leeson
- Genres
- Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy
R,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 2002 Wide
- Studio
- ThinkFilm
Critic Reviews
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Jonathan Foreman, New York Post
Fails as entertainment, being so ineptly directed and written it often has the feel of a high school production by kids with more money and ambition than talent.
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Dave Kehr, New York Times
A minor addition to the tiny genre of feminist science fiction films.
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Laura Sinagra, Village Voice
It's a quiet tour de force for Tilda Swinton.
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Ty Burr, Boston Globe
Stumbles from one catatonic scene to the next, mixing aggressively 'clever' ideas with strident dialogue.
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Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle
Sci-fi has rarely been so playful.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
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Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Tilda Swinton
as Marine, Olive, Rosetta, Ruby
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Jeremy Davies
as Sandy
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James Urbaniak
as Agent Hopper
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Karen Black
as Dirty Dick
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Al Nazemian
as Dr. Bea
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Josh Kornbluth
as Tim
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Thomas Jay Ryan
as Preacher
- Diana Demar
- Howard Swain
- John O'Keefe
- Thomas J. Ryan
