2023 Movie – They Cloned Tyrone Review
“They Cloned Tyrone” is a film that I absolutely love! It’s funny, thought-provoking, and has thrilling plot twists in the second half. Personally, I highly recommend this movie! Initially, I had no intention of watching it, but after seeing it unexpectedly, I found it to be enjoyable and really liked it! Of course, this doesn’t mean the film is flawless or a masterpiece.
What I want to emphasize is that “They Cloned Tyrone” primarily satirizes racial discrimination and division in American society. The screenwriter and director cleverly use science fiction elements to create an exciting adventure filled with mysteries to solve. The story has its own charm and overall structure with well-developed plot points and profound underlying messages.
Although “They Cloned Tyrone” may not be as simple as it seems at first glance, it’s not as complex as one might imagine either. The focus of the film revolves around several key characters: Fontaine (played by John Boyega), Slick harles (played by Jamie Foxx), and Yo-Yo (played by Teyonah Parris).
This movie marks Jules Taylor’s debut as both screenwriter and director for a feature-length film. The storyline starts with a very simple premise – Charles witnessed Fontaine being shot dead not long ago (he repeatedly emphasizes that Fontaine was shot multiple times with many bullet holes), but Fontaine does not have any memory of this event nor remembers meeting Charles yesterday. As a result, he decides to investigate the murder case which leads him to uncover a terrifying conspiracy sweeping across governmant.”
When discussing issues of racial discrimination, it seems that a more serious approach is usually taken. However, “They Cloned Tyrone” takes a different path and presents its own impressive black humor style in the vast number of works exploring racial discrimination. It cleverly uses humor to sharply comment on class and racial discrimination, making the content and themes of “They Cloned Tyrone” even more powerful and even providing an important lesson for viewers.
I think the writer-director had an important consideration in mind: instead of choosing to strongly criticize white people for their oppression and exploitation, they also attempted to explain why there are stereotypes about black people and why these stereotypes become perpetuated over time. After all, if the plot were solely focused on criticizing white people’s exploitation, oppression, and discrimination against them, then this film would fall into clichés and end up further dividing races. So the writer was really smart in avoiding such misconceptions.
“They Cloned Tyrone” has a good grasp of pacing. The writer-director immediately creates a fast-paced and suspenseful atmosphere through conflicts between three key characters as well as their integration into the story.
Through their exploration of the truth, they delve deeper into unraveling mysteries. These three actors are crucial in “They Cloned Tyrone” with concise yet witty dialogue designed by the writer creating a unique rhythm and sense of urgency that captivates audiences (the film constantly delivers exciting twists every few minutes; its fast-paced rhythm is very entertaining). The writer-director also strikes a great balance between humor and interesting lines that contribute to this world view – injecting seriousness amidst fun moments while seamlessly blending humor with gravity.
One distinctive feature of “They Cloned Tyrone” is its quirkiness which showcases the director’s confidence within this peculiar setting. The director clearly knows what he wants to say about our society but manages to achieve sharp commentary on race and class without sacrificing the comedic essence of storytelling.
Every few minutes, “They Cloned Tyrone” transports viewers into another realm of black culture, showcasing clever creativity, dark humor, and stimulating social relevance.
But despite its sense of humor, “They Cloned Tyrone” is overall darker than the audience might imagine. When Fontaine faces the clones face to face, with just a glance, he tells the story of every black person doubting themselves in the face of white oppression. The core issue of “They Cloned Tyrone” is whether it is caused by black people themselves or orchestrated by white people to drive them to despair.
As Fontaine unravels why the people in Yu Gu Community are subjected to such inhumane experiments, he begins to blame himself for being a drug dealer but overlooks his potential as a good person. Through Fontaine’s character, the screenwriter and director demonstrate how black people internalize societal problems as their own issues. However, Yoyo soberly reminds Fontaine that he is a product of his environment (racial class oppression) but also has the ability to make choices.
The mystery in “They Cloned Tyrone” is designed smoothly. This is a good thing as the investigation by the three main characters ultimately uncovers a conspiracy involving secret laboratories, mind-controlling hair products, and many other sinister secrets about their so-called home community. The director effectively conveys most plot twists and turns well throughout the film.
I particularly enjoyed the tension and intensity building up towards the end during approximately twenty minutes before reaching its climax—the most thrilling scene in which there are clever character moments, plot reversals, puzzle-solving revelations, and chaotic fights—it was an excellent conclusion! However, there’s still an Easter egg afterwards that gives They Cloned Tyrone” another final twist XD (endless twists).
Now let’s talk about visual design in “They Cloned Tyrone” The director deliberately uses grainy visuals to evoke a sense of time period nostalgia. Scenes have strong colors but appear somewhat hazy due to this graininess—like being covered with a thin layer of mist. The yellow and green lights barely illuminate the motels and dark houses. Some viewers may find the lighting too dim, making it difficult to see the details on screen, especially in many courtroom scenes. Although this grainy effect adds a touch of kitsch and elements of black exploitation, if viewers can’t see clearly, they might feel like they’re missing out on visual details.
The character design in “They Cloned Tyrone” is distinct for all three characters. Yoyo is the female protagonist who is a detective enthusiast. I particularly enjoy how she maintains some rationality but also has a kind of “my theory is always right” stubbornness. She often argues with Charles in the plot, which is quite cute—they constantly joke around and argue; one moment they curse at each other, and the next second they become unexpectedly intimate~ As for Fontained, he serves as the balancing character in the plot. He has a gloomy and indifferent presence with plenty of inner conflicts—making him crucial to maintaining emotional depth throughout the film. Therefore, his character tends to approach things more seriously.
He is a great complement compared to his two chatty partners. However, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, although “They Cloned Tyrone” is good, it is not a masterpiece. Some parts of the story do feel overly long and superficial, especially when the characters are going through side missions to uncover the truth behind the central mystery.
Some scenes could be deleted without disrupting the storyline, which might make it more exciting for viewers. Of course, I have also considered that the screenwriter and director must have designed those seemingly irrelevant sections in order to explore issues of racial and class discrimination. In conclusion, how good or bad is “They Cloned Tyrone“? I think it’s an above-average film on Netflix. The story content is truly an interesting adventure. For audiences who enjoy exploring social issues, “They Cloned Tyrone” is a special attempt because it boldly and unabashedly tackles racism in a crazy and unreserved manner. After watching the movie, you will definitely find “They Cloned Tyrone” quite mind-blowing!