'Xchange' is a dtv tale from the early 2000's that like many titles has been forgotten. Seeing it again over twenty years later - the fact remains this is a decent trip with a good cast. Back then, I would brought up the obvious big names in Stephen Baldwin and Kyle MacLachlan, but now it's gotta be said this is one of the better starring roles Kim Coates got as well. A good blend of sci-fi, action with small things to say about classism and identity.
In the not so distant future, high society uses temporary bodies for convenience and fast travel thru a company called Xchange. The science allows a person to teleport their mind which is where we find Toffler (Coates) as a NYC exec who needs to do it begrudgingly when he's needed in San Francisco with hours notice for a big meeting after the CEO is assassinated. The issue is he trades places with the terrorist Fisk (MacLachlan) responsible and later has to settle for being in a cloned body (Baldwin) with a two day lifespan before it stops functioning and he ceases to exist permanently.
Shot in Montreal, Canada and I'm sure on a modest budget the filmmakers have done a good job utilizing the city and their means to make a good looking film. They don't go high tech, futuristic keeping things fairly down to earth minus the ability to transfer bodies of course. Baldwin, MacLachlan and Coates are solid in addition to supporting players from the Canadian cast. The top three also get the opportunity to play both good, bad guys. There's a bunch of gunplay, fisticuffs, always fun female nudity. Despite what others say it's still plenty gratuitous.
'Xchange' won't wow you with it's conspiracy, murder mystery - it's fairly obvious who the bad guys are, their cliche intentions. The sci-fi plot might boil down to a 'getting my life back' action-fest and it loses steam towards the end, but I had fun with it. A rare b-movie I was glad to have given a shot even if the story isn't totally original.
In the not so distant future, high society uses temporary bodies for convenience and fast travel thru a company called Xchange. The science allows a person to teleport their mind which is where we find Toffler (Coates) as a NYC exec who needs to do it begrudgingly when he's needed in San Francisco with hours notice for a big meeting after the CEO is assassinated. The issue is he trades places with the terrorist Fisk (MacLachlan) responsible and later has to settle for being in a cloned body (Baldwin) with a two day lifespan before it stops functioning and he ceases to exist permanently.
Shot in Montreal, Canada and I'm sure on a modest budget the filmmakers have done a good job utilizing the city and their means to make a good looking film. They don't go high tech, futuristic keeping things fairly down to earth minus the ability to transfer bodies of course. Baldwin, MacLachlan and Coates are solid in addition to supporting players from the Canadian cast. The top three also get the opportunity to play both good, bad guys. There's a bunch of gunplay, fisticuffs, always fun female nudity. Despite what others say it's still plenty gratuitous.
'Xchange' won't wow you with it's conspiracy, murder mystery - it's fairly obvious who the bad guys are, their cliche intentions. The sci-fi plot might boil down to a 'getting my life back' action-fest and it loses steam towards the end, but I had fun with it. A rare b-movie I was glad to have given a shot even if the story isn't totally original.