IMPOSTOR is an easy viewing science fiction action thriller starring the underrated Gary Sinise, one of my favourite "those guy" actors after his fine performances in the likes of RANSOM. It's another film based on a story by Philip K. Dick and like TOTAL RECALL and BLADE RUNNER it has an ambiguous central character whose identity will keep you guessing throughout.

The plot is so straightforward that it can be condensed into a single sentence: the authorities think Gary Sinise is an alien android come to destroy Earth, he thinks he's innocent. As with those other two films mentioned, the whole film keeps you guessing as to Sinise's real identity right until the worthwhile climax, which doesn't disappoint. The rest follows the low budget action template with a lot of chases, some dodgy CGI effects, and a generally good sense of momentum.

Sinise is supported by able actors even if they aren't given a great deal to do. Madeleine Stowe is his wife, Vinceint D'Onofrio the vengeful cop on his tail. Mekhi Phifer gives a good turn as the ally he teams up with to fight back against those oppressing him. The action scenes suffer from some average to poor camera-work, and there's some odd use of stock footage from earlier sci-fi movies like STARSHIP TROOPERS, but otherwise this is generally watchable stuff, although not in the same league as TOTAL RECALL or BLADE RUNNER.

In the future Earth, Spencer (Gary Sinise) and Maya Olham (Madeleine Stowe) are a professional couple. He's a top secret weapons designer. She's a doctor at the hospital. Earth is at war with yet unseen aliens from Alpha Centauri. Force shield domes protect the cities from the Centaurians. As Spencer is walking with friend Nelson Gittes (Tony Shalhoub),Major Hathaway (Vincent D'Onofrio) takes him captive. Three days earlier, intelligence intercepted a Centauri transmission with a target list. Spencer is suspected of being a perfect replicant of the real Spencer with an undetectable U-bomb in his chest. Hathaway claims that there is no way to distinguish the difference but Spencer declares that there is a medical test. Before Hathaway can do his terminal test, Spencer manages to escape. Bandit Cale (Mekhi Phifer) makes the fugitive his prisoner.

The premise is not the most logical. It seems like a convoluted way for the aliens to deliver the weapon. There are much better ways to give this premise a twist. Outside of this, the movie is a lackluster futuristic Fugitive. It's a dark cheap unimaginative world. By the time Cale shows up, I got bored with the whole enterprise. The ending simply puts a cherry on this bland sundae.

In 2079, Earth is in a forty-five-year war with Alpha Centauri and most of the human survivors live in cities that are protected by force field domes. The weapon engineer Spencer Olham (Gary Sinise) has lost his father in the war with the Centaurians that have not been seen by humans, and is happily married with Dr. Maya Olham (Madeleine Stowe),who works in the emergency of a hospital. His best friend is Nelson Gittes (Tony Shalhoub),who works with him in a top-secret facility. When the Earth Chancellor (Lindsay Crouse) is ready to visit the city where Spencer lives, he is arrested by Major Hathaway (Vincent D'Onofrio) from the Earth Security Administration accused of being an alien replicant. Hathaway has intercepted a Centaurian transmission saying that the real Spencer was murdered and replaced by a replicant with U-bomb in his chest ready to blow-up when he is close to the Chancellor. However, Spencer succeeds to flee from Hathaway and now he wants to prove that he is not an alien replicant. But the Major and his men are hunting him down.

"Impostor" is an underrated little Sci-Fi gem based on a short story of Phillip K. Dick. The plot recalls "The Fugitive" in a futuristic environment, and Gary Sinise has great performance. The final twist in the ending is impressive even when the viewer sees the movie for the second time. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Impostor"