In this 2000 sci-fi thriller, Arnold Schwarzenegger battles a conspiracy involving his own illegal clone.
In short: When charter pilot Adam Gibson returns home to find a double living his life, he is thrust into a high-stakes struggle against a powerful corporation. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, this film explores the unsettling ethics of human cloning, identity, and the legal rights of those created in a lab.
Released in November 2000, The 6th Day stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Adam Gibson, a man who discovers he has been illegally cloned by Replacement Technologies, a corporation led by billionaire Michael Drucker. The film’s title references the Genesis creation narrative, contrasting the divine origin of humanity with the artificial, corporate-controlled cloning processes depicted in the story. Set in a future where animal cloning is commonplace, human replication is strictly prohibited by 'Sixth Day' laws following a failed experiment.
The plot centers on a conspiracy where Drucker, who was secretly cloned after his own death to maintain his fortune, uses cloning to ensure control over his assets and employees. Dr. Griffin Weir, the chief scientist, facilitates this, driven by a desperate attempt to cure his wife’s cystic fibrosis through repeated cloning. The narrative examines the existential dread of the process; as critic Roger Ebert noted, even if a clone possesses all of one's memories, the original consciousness remains trapped in the 'old container.'
Despite a $25 million salary for its lead, the film received mixed critical reception. Reviewers often compared it unfavorably to Schwarzenegger’s earlier work like Total Recall or Terminator 2: Judgment Day, labeling it a formulaic actioner. It earned three Razzie nominations for Schwarzenegger’s dual performance, though it was also recognized at the 27th Saturn Awards. Ultimately, the film serves as a cautionary tale about the intersection of unchecked corporate power and the potential for human replication to strip individuals of their legal identity.
The production, filmed in Vancouver and Toronto, faced significant competition at the box office, opening behind films like How the Grinch Stole Christmas. While initial worldwide grosses were reported at $126.3 million, subsequent re-releases brought the total to $144.3 million. The film remains a notable entry in the sci-fi genre for its focus on the 'syncording' of DNA and memories, a mechanism that allows the corporation to manufacture replacements for those they deem expendable.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The 6th Day
- Also: Wikidata — The 6th Day · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — The 6th Day · CC0
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