Chimera Strain

Vertical Entertainment | Release Date: March 15, 2019

7.4	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 525 Ratings

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User Reviews

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Tim67Apr 27, 2019

Ticking time movie that doesn't really get going.
I remember watching a Johnny Depp movie called Nick of Time where he plays the father whose child is kidnapped, and the movie plays out in real time. Chimera reminded me of that film, albeitTicking time movie that doesn't really get going.
I remember watching a Johnny Depp movie called Nick of Time where he plays the father whose child is kidnapped, and the movie plays out in real time. Chimera reminded me of that film, albeit in a different way. This movie is about a scientist who is hard at work in his basement/lab trying to find a cure for his two children who might die soon. On his tail is a nefarious head of affairs called Masterson who is way too eager for the scientist to find this supposed "cure." There is also the small matter of this entire process being highly secretive and illegal. The film is shot well and enacted good, but it has pacing issues. Also, the kids seemed unprepared. Chimera is above average scifi.… Expand

17 of 18 users found this helpful171

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Juanita92Apr 22, 2019

Morally repugnant, visually alright!
Went to see this last night and there is good and some bad. Good? Visuals are stunning as is the set design. The background score is nice and lends itself nicely to the theme of the film. Acting is superb-Morally repugnant, visually alright!
Went to see this last night and there is good and some bad. Good? Visuals are stunning as is the set design. The background score is nice and lends itself nicely to the theme of the film. Acting is superb- rarely have I seen such a good performance as what Henry Ian Cusick(Lost) brings to Chimera Strain. The bad? Flashbacks and jarring scenes get in the way of the narrative. The story is very repugnant morally- in fact in the end the bad person not only escapes but also wins. I also felt that the film could have been extended to another 10 -15 minutes. The ending doesn't feel rushed, but it just ends suddenly.… Expand

21 of 24 users found this helpful213

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FtFtApr 11, 2019

Interesting and unusual approach to sci-fi. I commend the filmmakers for trying. It was refreshing to see something different. The acting, effects and sets are quite good but overall it still fall victim to its biggest limitation its budget.Interesting and unusual approach to sci-fi. I commend the filmmakers for trying. It was refreshing to see something different. The acting, effects and sets are quite good but overall it still fall victim to its biggest limitation its budget. It is still interesting and I would watch it again.… Expand

22 of 31 users found this helpful229

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jonathan95May 5, 2019

Morally disturbing,This sci-fi movie makes the bad guys emerge the victor. In fact, there is not a single redeemable character at all in the whole film. This didn’t sit well with me.There is also the case of a character who we never know isMorally disturbing,This sci-fi movie makes the bad guys emerge the victor. In fact, there is not a single redeemable character at all in the whole film. This didn’t sit well with me.There is also the case of a character who we never know is either dead, alive or an apparition.The acting is great, and Henry Ian Cusick brings all his gravitas to play the lead character who is a scientist. Chimera Strain looks great and the background theme and score is also complimentary. As a matter of fact, take aside the morally bankrupt characters- none of whom most people would relate to, the film is good.I doubt you should spend 10 dollars to see this in a theater (it is barely 80 minutes) but once on some streaming channel like Netflix this film would be a fascinating case study you can indulge in on a lazy afternoon.… Expand

14 of 15 users found this helpful141

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Jennifer1234May 22, 2019

A dull but eventually fascinating affair Chimera Strain is a indie movie that tries to exceed its abilities. It is a brave attempt and I guess the filmmakers had to go through a few loopholes to get everything on screen. But in the end is itA dull but eventually fascinating affair Chimera Strain is a indie movie that tries to exceed its abilities. It is a brave attempt and I guess the filmmakers had to go through a few loopholes to get everything on screen. But in the end is it worth it? The audience wants to be entertained and I felt that the entertaining aspects were toned down in favor of a lesson in judging moral standards. Then on top of it there's the unexplained dilemma of the narrative jumping all over the place. Many of the events presented on screen are often out of sequence, and/or blend the protagonist's reality with his imagination, which is more than a bit difficult to follow. Having said all this I still think that the movie is fascinating.… Expand

14 of 15 users found this helpful141

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AngelapillsburyMay 30, 2019

Henry Ian Cusick's film,Chimera Strain is Henry Ian Cusick's film through and through. He is the main lead, and present in almost all the scenes. The actor's serious demeanor lends itself well to the character and its travails. But apart fromHenry Ian Cusick's film,Chimera Strain is Henry Ian Cusick's film through and through. He is the main lead, and present in almost all the scenes. The actor's serious demeanor lends itself well to the character and its travails. But apart from him there's not much in the way of great acting. Quinlan fans hoping to see their actress on the big screen are in for some disappointment as she's barely around, despite being prominently featured in the teasers. There is shoddy acting from the kids which is rather sad as they're cute and the chemistry between them and Cusick is palpable. There are some cheesy lines such as " If God intended us to be immortal, we would have more durable bodies”, said exasperatingly by the titular character's wife. I'd rate this film a six on ten and that's above average. In fact, for a first-time filmmaker this is a good effort.… Expand

13 of 14 users found this helpful131

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Cynthia1234May 14, 2019

Lots of good, some bad This is an ambitious film. The story is something that opens up lots of questions in your mind. What would you do in a similar situation is the big question that will come up. You’ll think that something like this couldLots of good, some bad This is an ambitious film. The story is something that opens up lots of questions in your mind. What would you do in a similar situation is the big question that will come up. You’ll think that something like this could be very real in the not too distant future and the film does well to feel authentic and realistic without the viewer having to be a science buff to understand it all. And you don’t need to be anyone but a happy movie watcher to understand the emotion that runs through Chimera. On the other hand, there are some terrible mistakes. They could have hired a better editor (two editors usually never work) and there is a continuity issue with the sequences. Kathleen Quinlan takes a villain role, bankrolling Quint’s research but also holding him to ransom in order to repair her own son, who has mutated into a fully-grown monster. The only problem is that Kathleen Quinlan is so over the top with her bossy suit and cigar it almost becomes a caricature. In my opinion father time is a good enough villain and they shouldn’t have put in a human villain at all.… Expand

13 of 14 users found this helpful131

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daniel9May 8, 2019

Punching above its weight I applaud the filmmakers for choosing a subject like stem cell engineering to base the premise on, and indeed the film is quite thought provoking. But several things are done wrongly which hamper the overallPunching above its weight I applaud the filmmakers for choosing a subject like stem cell engineering to base the premise on, and indeed the film is quite thought provoking. But several things are done wrongly which hamper the overall experience. For one it appears the interactions between Quint (the scientist) and the kids were overtly dramatic, as do the scenes between him and his comatose wife (which he is hallucinating). Little insight is provided about the relationship between Quint and his ex-boss Masterson (a way over the top Kathleen Quinlan). Visually also although the film punches far above its weight the blue/orange contrast is everywhere, and it tends to appear forced. The acting is decent, especially by Henry Ian Cusick who is quite good. In fact, he is one good reason to watch Chimera Strain.… Expand

13 of 14 users found this helpful131

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ClarenceButlerMay 30, 2019

Muddled message; exciting narrative whenever I sit to watch a film I place two criteria on whether the film is good- the narrative and the message (or theme). Chimera Strain by Maurice Haems gets one right- the narrative. This is a well-madeMuddled message; exciting narrative whenever I sit to watch a film I place two criteria on whether the film is good- the narrative and the message (or theme). Chimera Strain by Maurice Haems gets one right- the narrative. This is a well-made thriller with a bioscience backdrop, well-paced and very well acted. Henry Ian Cusick needs to be in bigger movies is all I'll say. The cinematography and editing is good and the background score also needs a mentioning. But then the message is muddled- Is stem cell application ethical? Should it be practiced at large? If the underlying theme is such then an effort should be made to emphasize the theme's larger repercussions- which is what all great movies do. But I will still recommend this film to anyone who has a passing interest in sci-fi. From a story perspective there's not much to blame.… Expand

11 of 12 users found this helpful111

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