Film Review — They Cloned Tyrone

John Boyega and Teyonah Parris shine in Juel Taylor’s excellent genre fusion debut.

A drug dealer, local pimp and savvy sex worker uncover a sinister government conspiracy whilst investigating strange events in their neighbourhood.

★★★★☆

If not for the hot pink apocalypse that was Barbenheimer, more people would be talking about They Cloned Tyrone, one of Netflix’s more anticipated productions, curiously released on cinema’s biggest weekend of the year.

It might have flown under the radar compared to its big-screen competitors, but Juel Taylor’s confident directorial debut is more than worthy in its own right. A wild fusion of genres and ideas, the film plays like a blend of The Matrix, Stranger Things, classic blaxploitation like Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, and even the wacky and unhinged hood parody, Don’t Be a Menace.

Taylor and co-writer Tony Rettenmaier turn their many inspirations into something fresh and exciting, an often silly film that provides escapist thrills and lots of humour without ever blunting its sharp social commentary.

It also helps that They Cloned Tyrone has a fantastic cast. Teyonah Parris (WandaVision, The Marvels) continues to demonstrate considerable range, while Jamie Foxx (Ray, Any Given Sunday) plays against type as the flamboyant Slick. Kiefer Sutherland (24) also shows up in a small antagonistic role that seemingly references his appearance in A Few Good Men, as well as Dark City, another film whose influence can be felt here.

But John Boyega (Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker) is on another level entirely, disappearing into multiple roles as the heart of the picture and cementing himself as one of the best British actors (yes, the accent had me fooled for a second there too!) working today.

There’s a bit of something here for everyone. But for those who love well-crafted sci-fi with an intelligent, analogous edge, They Cloned Tyrone is a trip well worth seeking out.

Originally published at michaelkenny.uk