Chimera Strain (2018) User Reviews

never thought going to write a review, I totally see those reactionary first-time reviewers

[UgurBayraktar · 4/10 · 12 July 2019]

I am just amazed to read the high rates for this film. Yes, I know there are many PR works on movies so that it looks "decent" on the database, but the reviews on this one have looked quite sincere. Yet, I have just watched the movie, and it is not a movie at all!

The plot is so weak, and the annoying children keep talking behind the shots, and there is not one single "rational" character in the movie! Seriously.

Reviews aside, I am really curious about how this movie got so many - probably insignificant - rewards. Okay, low-budget, okay first movie, but every possible thing about the movie is so cheesy.

It will grow back

[nogodnomasters · 3/10 · 24 March 2019]

Quint (Henry Ian Cusick) is a research scientist who is about to lose two children to genetic disease. He plans on freezing the kids and curing them with a jellyfish protein but needs outlawed stem cells. He can get these from his former employer.

The story is told in a haphazard confusing way, by design. It isn't until the last 20 minutes or so that the overall plot and relationships are explained. The film is hampered with numerous random flashbacks that make it unwatchable.

Guide: Nudity. No F-word or sex.

Only Creepy is DVD Cover

[westsideschl · 3/10 · 19 May 2019]

The only mystery & unrelated to storyline is what the DVD cover has to do with the story. It's probably the only sci-fi creepy part of this production. Cheap production of 90 min. in an abandoned industrial setting building w/mismatched high school bio science lab props to go along with a storyline based on high school biology stem cells and tissue repair along w/the equally ridiculous pop science connection to jellyfish repair, i.e. longevity. Another cheap was the constant droning of the background music which will make you turn the sound off. Poor script flow/editing made what ever semblance of a coherent story simply not happening. Acting was over-the-top Hollywood make believe scientists & associated characters.

Low budget film doesn't look or feel low budget at all

[loriharon · 18 March 2019]

Featuring towering performances from Henry Ian Cusick and especially Kathleen Quinlan Chimera Strain is a film that will take you by surprise. The set designs are phenomenal with a blueish hue that is always welcome for science fiction lovers and the story- although a bit confusing at times is good enough for the audience to relate with. This low budget film doesn't look or feel low budget at all.

heavy handed crapfest

[reverend_revoltah · 1/10 · 16 March 2019]

Avoid this anti-science propaganda masquerading as hard sci-fi, if you're looking for a decent film. However, this is good for a laugh. A nervous, exasperated chuckle. The ratings/review system has been corrupt for a long time and on full display in the ones for this film.

What if what people said was reality

[siderite · 5/10 · 16 March 2019]

This is just one more "Scientist playing God and failing miserably" story. It doesn't matter that the reasons he fails are morally extinct and that the way he handles crisis is to succumb to apparent psychotic strength, because he is a nice scientist that can't do violence. A cliched and ridiculous promise that doesn't really do justice to scientists (or mad scientists for that matter). No person of science would be intimidated by a psycho boss lady and her uber strengthy hench... person. It took three thirds of the movie to reach an obvious conclusions, only to change things as a superfluous twist that no one needed.

Bottom line: a movie in which all people acted for the money, rather than for the idea of the film, resulting in a boring, cliched, pointless plot and a sub mediocre performance.

Biochemical mess

[oussamasama-77177 · 4/10 · 18 March 2019]

Story is of a man who wants to treat his children's genetic diseases and follows how he tries to do it. Story line jumps all over the place. Very confusing to the viewer, especially at start. Acting was mediocre, sometimes a little poor, although the man was quite good. Editing was poor, poor composition of shots- sometimes very short shot lengths. Overall I did not really enjoy this movie, if your expectations are quite high I recommend you to avoid it

depressing and disgusting...

[dr-sumeet-halde · 1/10 · 15 March 2019]

Wasted two hrs of my life..for the sake of cheesy twist..whole film got spoiled...

Not Syfy lol...

[dlbott · 1/10 · 17 March 2019]

Ok, so another example of yuppies behind a desk that have no idea what they are doing or what the genre even is lol. Syfy this is not lol... more like a lifetime drama... two hours of boring you to death...

Put a little dna manipulation in their and call it syfy lol. Reality, it is 3rd world attempt at there is no God or heaven lol. This really sucked and the lack of any budget showed terribly. Even syfy channel does it better and they are not syfy since nbc bought them lol.

Seriously, don't waste your life unless you really don't care about time wasted, you can't get this time wasted back lol...

Chimera Strain is worth your time!

[elizabethdawson-78805 · 7/10 · 18 March 2019]

On the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein comes a new science fiction film based on similar concepts of immortality and the arrogance of science. Chimera Strain is worth your time simply because of its unique concept. The ending seems a bit rushed, but the overall product is worth your invested time

Reviews over 6 are paid reviews

[jn-73-714982 · 1/10 · 15 March 2019]

Sorry to say, don't think this movie was all that good!

thriller plot, realistic stuff, outstanding cinematography

[SHR-11102 · 9/10 · 18 March 2019]

Plot has layers, it is a thoughtful movie that raises questions on life, family and how far you would go to save them, science is real and possibly near future stuff, cinematography and framing of the scenes is outstanding, loved watching the movie

A mixed bag

[maganwalker6547 · 6/10 · 25 May 2018]

Some good, some not so good, The good: acting, plot, sets, medical sci-fi aspects. The not-so-good: over stylized lighting, confusing plot. Still it was better than the avarage crappy indie movie that comes out of sundance or cannes.

Curious idea but poorly acted

[Nimbereth · 2/10 · 17 March 2019]

It had an interesting idea and base plot, but was pooly made. We can see they didn't had a large budget. Sadly, it was an waste of time. Don't recommend.

Some good, some bad

[clarencebutler · 12 April 2019]

Chimera Strain by Maurice Haems could have been a great film- It looks amazing and the acting is sublime across the board. Henry Ian Cusick is so bloody good he deserves a nomination somewhere just to get noticed. However, there are some problems- for one the pacing is disjointed and off. Scenes seem rushed and many times a long take scene is immediately followed by a bunch of short ones, which dispenses the flow of the film. The script is good but there is way too much dialogue. Mr. Haems should know that the "show don't tell" rule also applies in a way that one should make the character do things to back their intentions and not just say it. That's for plays. All in all, this is a brave effort and I feel any science fiction lover should see this.

Total waste of time

[gabi-79800 · 1/10 · 20 March 2019]

A waste of time, avoid!! I resisted for 20 minutes, then stopped him

Dry,Heavy,Sick.

[SunnySonnie · 1/10 · 10 March 2020]

I didn't think that this movie is going to be a warm and touching one.. but I wasn't expected that it is going to be this..sick. I mean, some parts of the movie actually could be close to what crazy scientists are doing behind their labs, and you know.. who knows exactly what's going on there.. That was clear that these "scientists" from the movie were all mentally sick and would needed a serious treatment for that. To be honest, this movie was a way too dry, and a way too sick for my taste.

Bad bad bad

[brentgray73 · 1/10 · 22 March 2019]

Could only make it up to the 4 minute mark......WTF

Boring

[shepelx · 1/10 · 22 March 2019]

It's all talking and talking and talking... The new characters in story just apear and you should guess who are they,no background and no story behind them so you just guess who are they!

Movie fell flat and the acting was lacking

[inskyfire · 1/10 · 23 March 2019]

This movie was a waste of time to watch. I wish I would have stopped it after the first 10 minutes when it seemed like the acting was far from on point. This is going to sound terrible because I am a woman, but the ending made me hate women and the crap they get away with just because they can lie and people believe them so easy. It made me want to hunt that woman down myself since that idiot guy was so freaken weak he couldn't see the vindictive, succubus she was from the start. I hated the ending, I don't want them to all be cookies and rainbows, but I wanted the witch to get hers in the end..something to make the boring rest of the movie worth watching.. but no. All and all, just not good.

Not much happens.

[kengonzalez-89582 · 6/10 · 24 March 2019]

I must commend the filmmakers that they even managed to tackle such a sensitive subject but the issue of morality and the dilemmas it poses becomes central to the film- at the expense of the entertainment. The visuals are amazing including some stomach churning stuff involving operation room objects. Its all pretty much in one setting (the main character's science lab) but the inventive camerawork and editing are good enough to not let that matter. Interesting concept- flawed execution.

Ugh!

[finetunes · 4/10 · 24 March 2019]

Very confusing at the beginning. If you love pure evil winning, you'll love this movie.

Same family as Gattaca and The Fly

[sccsccrk128 · 9/10 · 19 May 2018]

If you like hard sci-fi with new concepts and the guts to follow the story to some really hard places, then this is the movie for you. Don't expect a cheery uplifting story but if you want to be challenged and provoked - watch this movie, i have deduced a point because their lack of budget shows in places

Complicated but interesting.

[bryanjacobs-01667 · 6/10 · 24 March 2019]

Chimera Strain by first time filmmaker Maurice Haemms is an interesting subject that it tackles, however the film is a bit complicated and expects the audiences to understand the scientific jargon as though they were experts in the subject. There are many visions and flashbacks, and some come out of nowhere which also effects the continuity. Regardless, Chimera Strain is interesting and worth your hour and twenty minutes.

Highly not recommended

[koertv · 1/10 · 14 August 2020]

Fake reviews to make this movie look at least somewhat decent. One of the few movies I tried to watch all the way through and failed. Boring low-budget flick not worth even 5 minutes of your time. The actor isn't bad but the plot Easily one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Do yourself a favor and avoid this crap, it's really not worth any of your time.