Netflix’s 95% RT Sci-Fi Movie Is Quietly One of the Best Films on the Platform Right Now

Science fiction is a genre known for pushing boundaries. It’s in these stories that we are transported to other worlds, meet new lifeforms, and see what would happen if our perception were expanded. Released by Netflix in 2023, They Cloned Tyrone sits at a lofty 95% on Rotten Tomatoes for that reason — it takes our expectations of a sci-fi movie, and goes in a different direction.

With an incredible cast led by John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris, director Juel Taylor’s film remains a favorite with streaming fans after its release. A revisit makes its appeal obvious.

Why They Cloned Tyrone Is One of Netflix’s Best Sci-Fi Movies

They Cloned Tyrone is set in a suburban neighborhood called the Glen, where a drug dealer named Fontaine (Boyega) visits one of his customers, a pimp named Slick Charles (Foxx), for money he is owed. After the transaction, Fontaine is killed by a rival drug dealer in front of Slick. The next day, however, Fontaine arrives alive and unharmed, with no memory of the night before. Confused, Slick takes Fontaine and his associate Yo-Yo (Parris) on an investigation that uncovers a shocking secret: that Black residents of the Glen are being controlled through everyday products such as fried chicken, music, and hair products, in a racially motivated government experiment.

Creating a labyrinth of mystery that never forgets to be entertaining, the movie is a terrific satire of systemic racism, social engineering, and cultural stereotypes. Amid the intelligence of the concept is a rapid-fire comedy provided by the excellent duo of Foxx and Parris, which becomes a highlight of the film, as they play two people entirely unprepared to be saviors of their community.

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What makes the film so compelling is its ability to mix multiple genres into one vibrant adventure. The film incorporates elements of 1970s blaxploitation movies in the form of the characters’ clothing, slang, and even their names. However, the references become critiques as we learn the depth of the main trio, exposing the reductive nature that the genre can have on Black identity.

There is also a kind of horror to the system of control they try to destroy, one that commodifies aspects of their lives in order to limit their progress. The film has been compared favorably to hits like Get Out and Sorry To Bother You in the way that it introduces a concept that allows us to reflect on society, with the most unsettling feeling coming from the realization that the story is tethered to real life.

Finally, there are aspects of the conspiracy thriller, particularly through the appearance of Nixon (Kiefer Sutherland) as an operative behind the conspiracy, who reveals what’s truly going on and what they are up against. All these elements come together to make a multi-faceted story that is not content with relying on clichés.

Why John Boyega Is the Heart of They Cloned Tyrone

It’s likely most people will be familiar with star Boyega as Finn, the courageous former Stormtrooper who featured in all three of the Star Wars sequel movies. Leaving one of the biggest franchises of all time can be a difficult path for any actor, but the British star pivoted by returning to the genre that launched him.

As Fontaine, he remains the film’s emotional anchor, a character who remains focused and stoic while chaos reigns around him. Parris and Foxx’s effective comedy allows him to provide the drama, something that every high-concept movie needs in order not to spiral out of control as the story goes on. He is of the world that Taylor creates, but he also feels individual, more than a clone of what came before.

There’s a pleasing parallel with Moses, the character he played in his 2011 breakthrough Attack the Block, about a teenage gang defending their council estate from alien invasion. The satirical absurdity and social commentary resemble the themes in They Cloned Tyrone, and just like that film, Moses is the strong grounding the movie needs to succeed. It’s a full-circle moment that brings the actor back to what brought him to the audiences’ attention.

Destined to become a cult classic, They Cloned Tyrone continues a trend in science fiction where the outlandish is used to explain issues in reality. Strong performances, wicked humor, and a thoughtful message combine to make a movie that is more intentional than its chaotic exterior would have you believe. If you haven’t seen it, now’s the time to seek it out.

Release Date

July 21, 2023

Runtime

119 Minutes

Director

Juel Taylor

Writers

Tony Rettenmaier, Juel Taylor

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