User reviews

The film is not all bad, it has it's charm but the good parts are too few and far between. The acting is generally very unconvincing, still Bai Ling and Alec Newman are more or less OK most of the time. Parry Shen is awful and overacts all the time, a shame since he has a big role in the movie.

The story is weak with terrible plot holes. The emotional development is rushed and very hard to relate to. Bai Lings hard core assassin with a yearning for romance feels like two characters pushed into the same person.

The CGI is very sub-par for a movie made in 2007, I've seen Xbox 360 games with more realistic graphics.

The movie seems to rely entirely on Bai Lings push-up costumes and she is heavily exploited throughout the movie.

The worst part, however, is the pretentious artsy cuts and slow scenes that wants to make this movie into a cult classic, all of which feels embarrassing considering the apparent weaknesses of the narration, pacing, acting and CGI.

Watch it if you're a sucker for the genre, like I am. But keep your fast forward button handy.

But I actually liked it. Main characters are relatively well played and there are some cool (yet short) fighting scenes where Bai Ling shows some skills (a very quick scene reminds of "Equilibrium" gunning)! Her clothing (mainly) and face paintings are also worth to watch. A nice cyber-punk flick which tries to enter the Aeon Flux (etc) scene. The theme for the story (DNA) is clever but never develops much being a weak storyline. It was in this way that I was expecting more, more DNA hackers, more DNA exploitation (and explanation) and this is never delivered. If you are in this cyber-punk scene or Bai Ling's or this "super-heroin" thing, it's worth to watch, but don't be expecting much!!

This movie is quite OK as a cyber-punk. It is not Oscar material, but I found it totally enjoyable on a quiet Sunday.

The story admittedly is a little thin, and some times too emotional but still it was nice to watch. The actors are doing an OK job, and the lead actress is a beauty.

The CGI is OK, and the sets have that dark gloomy mood to it. The action sequences was OK choreographed as well.

If you like CP movies, then why not. Just don't expect Bladerunner, though even that was deemed doomed in its day. This is a paced action flick, with some love and emotion in to it.

I have a mixed feeling about this film.

In one way, it's an interesting story, out of the cyberpunk tradition of Philip K. Dick and others. The movie has a definite "Blade Runner" feel to it, provided by copious amounts of CGI.

The weakest element of this movie really is Bai Ling herself. Oh, she easy on the eyes, especially when she did nude scenes. But her thick accent is distracting, and at times she seems to be overacting. Playing against Alec Newman, who is understated in his performance, they are just not a well-matched pair.

The saddest element here is Faye Dunaway. She won a freakin' Oscar, for crying out loud! She's in the top class of her profession. Her performance here is a couple of voiceovers and one short scene, just enough to let us know how far she's fallen since her glory days in the 1970's.

Not a bad film to watch, but not anything anyone will remember...

I'm a fan of sci-fi and I love both the steam punk and cyberpunk/cybergoth sense of aesthetics. As such I should love this film, right? I guess I should, but unfortunately "The Gene Generation" is much too sub-par for me to remotely like it.

The plot is an incohesive and boring mess, the editing is clumsy, the characters are undeveloped and uninteresting, the special effects are laughable, the acting is not worth mentioning, the action scenes are worthless, etc. I didn't expect much from a film this obscure, but "The Gene Generation" really blew away any expectations I had to leave only continuous nay-shaking behind.

The only reason why I'm not giving this film a bottom rating of 1/10 is because the soundtrack was somewhat enjoyable and matched the intended cyberpunk/cybergoth atmosphere and the outfits matched the soundtrack. Watch this film only if you're a hardcore fan of either EBM or cyberpunk/cybergoth and you don't give a damn about this film having any quality at all.

The plot: A beautiful, female assassin fights against DNA hackers, who kill people by hacking into their body.

I think that Pearry Teo and I would get along really well. We seem to have the same taste in books, movies, and music. We both like dark, surreal fantasy/horror and gritty cyberpunk. His movies are filled with references to all the things that I like. The problem is that The Gene Generation is a rather shallow pastiche of gothy cyberpunk themes, with no real attempt at cohesion. While full of creative ideas, visually striking scenes, and attractive people in cool poses, it's also a jumbled mess. The pacing is just terrible, making the movie sometimes feel like it's three hours long.

I love everything about The Gene Generation, except the actual movie itself. This leaves me at a loss as to how to rate the movie. With some faster pacing, less exploitation, and tighter writing, this could have been amazing. But, then again, couldn't you say that about any movie? "If only it had been better, it would have been good!" I liked Necromentia better than The Gene Generation, so I think that he's improving. As far as a debut goes, I think this isn't bad... but it's still a bit of a rough watch. In the end, I recommend The Gene Generation only to genre fans, who are more likely to forgive its faults.

It's really a shame, that the movie does not live up to what you might expect it to be. That is generally speaking of course and I'm also talking about the general view of it, here on IMDb. I wouldn't go as far as another reviewer went on here, but to be quite honest, there are too many flaws to overlook here.

Bai Ling might be the best thing here ... on second thoughts, maybe the daring approach to the visual style might be the best thing. Bai Ling is either having problems with the language or the script. Maybe both. But she never convinces in her role, which is very pivotal, especially because she is trying to give that character back-story and emotions. Which quite frankly, never works.

So visually quite nice, but on every other level, really not so good. As tastes go, you never know though, but I couldn't recommend this

A device is invented know as the transcoder. It can reform human DNA in order to cure a disease or to kill them. But it has fatal results for everyone who uses if except it's creator. The story centers around Michelle an assassin who is trying to maintain a stable life in a corrupt world, and her gambling brother Jackie who is in denial of his problems and thinks they can be quickly fixed. Solemn (the villain)wants the Transcoder for himself to save his wife and will use deadly force if need be. Not knowing what it is Jackie steals the Transcoder from Christian. Yada yada yada... The Transcode changes hands a couple of times. Then the plot gets a little confusing, but stays entertaining.

this movie is gem among those low budget straight to video sci-fi flicks. The acting is good and so is the directing. Although the cgi, production and camera work is the same as other straight to video films, i.e. ten years behind. The look is awesome and heavily influenced by H.R. Giger art. Many think it's suppose to be set in the future, but it is actual set in an alternate reality since there are no advances in technology except the DNA hacking. Bai Ling's out fits are unconventional and look great. She really kicks ass in this movie.

The plot is a little confusing and has a few plot holes. This movie is not for everyone. If you like techno punk futuristic waste land sci-fi movies then you will like this.

I give this film a 7 out of 10. The movie was entertaining by need work on the plot.

Get Your Body Beats, Let Your Blood Flow

A cheap cyberpunk thriller with very little to recommend it, THE GENE GENERATION is for all intents and purposes an amateur film. It features the ever-glamorous Bai Ling (DUMPLINGS) as a female assassin/fighter whose appearance and style is clearly indebted to characters like Milla Jovovich in the RESIDENT EVIL series.

Ling goes around dispatching various goons who threaten the wellbeing of her geeky brother. There's not much more plot to it than that, although the inclusion of some goofy CGI tentacle effects was a poor choice on the part of the filmmakers because they're lamentable. As you can guess, I wasn't a huge fan of THE GENE GENERATION, which is so poorly achieved as to be difficult to watch.

The whole film is far too dark which renders any action sequences rather pointless as you can't see what's meant to be going on. Ling's presence in the film is merely an excuse for her to fit into as many form-fitting and revealing costumes as is humanly possible. As for the random Faye Dunaway cameo, your guess is as good as mine...

Yes the production budget is a little low and the acting is not the best, but if you're not a mindless tool that needs everything visually painted for you and perfect... this movie has an incredible storyline. Really well developed characters, awesome neo-futuristic, cyberpunk kinda vibe.

Generally speaking, films which are set in the future really have to be "futuristic" in some way, shape or form. "The Gene Generation" is offered as being precisely that, but in its emotional impact and effect it is more like a bad dream from the 1930s, except in color. Lots of color.

The first thing the viewer encounters in this bizarre tale of family loyalty and love lost, is the grim cityscape of the anonymous city where everything happens. There's nothing shiny or bright about it.

Perhaps that was an effort by the author and director to 'locate' the viewer or audience in something at least a little bit familiar. Too bad that the cityscape has approximately as much charm as East Berlin in the mid-1950s !! There's trash everywhere, stuff blows around in circles in the ( seemingly ) never-ending wind, and it's always dark.

It rains. It doesn't rain. It rains. That part of the subtext of this otherwise very ambitious movie really is doubly maddening.

People live in high rise apartment buildings where there's running water and plenty of electricity, and gadgets, but nobody to clear the trash from the hallways. Huh ? The street scenes are the same, with futuristic clutter and debris all over the place, except on the sidewalks where the heroine -- Bai Ling, ravishing at forty-two -- is either walking or running.

Transportation in this urban desolation appears to consist only of elevators and floating-on-air 'flying Dutchmen' type sailing ships.

It all looks really, really strange and inevitably that becomes a nasty impediment to the story line itself, which is actually rather good.

The heroine is an anti-hero, a paid assassin with a brother who is a gambling junkie and a self-destructive idiot. Even his best friend and comrade eventually jettisons him, literally turning his back and then walking away. So, yes, there are touching moments in this otherwise ultra-violent and ultra-cynical story of ultra-modern revenge.

It is hard to recommend this movie for the plot, which is so cynical, and so dark and twisted; but, it is hard not to admire the effort in art and in cinema design which went into creating this futuristic urban hell on earth. That part, or parts, are quite amazing. Is this city located on some other planet, one which merely resembles our earth ?

We will most certainly never know the answer to that question.

Seven out of ten mostly for the delectable and dexterous Bai Ling and also for one truly nasty, skulking-around-places gangster-type villain.

Of course it does not need to be all exact to the science but already the first sentence is so riddled with ignorance that it ruins the whole film. Manipulating DNA blah, blah, transformation in seconds. Come on spending millions on those flicks, throw a 100 bucks to any first year biology student to get your science right. I got no problem with an absurdity. turn off gravity, do whatever you want as long as it tells a story and I will love it. However if you try to give it plausibility don't insult the viewers intelligence with pathetic pseudo scientific explanations, when a realistic one will do just as well and not hurt the story at all. The film is a classic B movie, with skinny chicks with guns running around shooting for some reason. Some effects, some music, no brains, no plot, no dialog, no story. Save you money on this one

The entire plot of the film is that someone created a lot of CGI just to make Bai Ling run around semi naked. She does look spectacular, but that isn't a reason to make a movie. At least not this kind of movie. Also Alec Newman plays a role that is supposedly important, but then he gets very little screen time. Maybe that's for the best, considering the quality of said role - Muad'dib it is not. And what the hell was Faye Dunaway doing in this film, anyway?

Other than that you get just bad scripting, bad dialogue, bad editing, bad CGI, bad acting, bad everything. And worse, it wasn't even bad enough to be laughable, just pitiable. Therefore I rate it plainly "boring" and you should try to avoid it.

I am guessing that I am not the target demographic for this film, but I'm not sure who would be. This movie was relentlessly bad. At first the photography/CGI of the future/alternate dystopia was notable. But then it descended into weird overkill, with huge, expensive statuary embedded in the wall of the city, with sailing ships (!) traveling overhead. It only came together for me at the end credits when it was noted that the movie had been made from a comic book. Oh. The plot, the direction, and most everything else was risible. With such bad material, it is difficult to critique acting. Bai Ling at least tried. The other actors either mailed it in, or were just overwhelmed by the putridity of the script. Make a point to miss this one.

"The Gene Generation" is quite a mixed bag of a cyber-punk flick. The movie has loads of trash elements as the somewhat cheap special effects, especially from a visual point of view. To my surprise, this adds a charming effect to the movie and gives the whole thing a quite alternative identity that is a welcome change with many other visually polished high definition three dimensions flicks nowadays. This element fits to the dark and depressive surroundings, the weird characters and the quite diversified and unusual soundtrack varying from soft piano melodies to straight forward electronic Gothic music. This flick definitely has a lot of elements to become a cult trash movie in the years to come.

The story line of the flick is quite thin and more or less important. The movie doesn't build up much tension but a quite interesting desperate atmosphere. The pace is hold on a high level with a lot of fighting scenes with a high variety of guns and swords plus some martial arts moments that are sadly not always quite well cut and caught by the camera team. The movie contains also some emotional and erotic moments that are a welcome change in this dark tale of dystopia. Thanks to this good degree of variety, there aren't too many lengths in here.

To be honest, the biggest reason to watch this biopunk movie featuring many science-fiction and action elements are the tight leather clothing, the exotic face painting and the highly exposed beauty of main actress Bai Ling. To my positive surprise, the world star that made it from Sichuan province to California is not only nice to watch but she is also acting rather well. Her relationship to her brother who is always in trouble with money, gambling and mighty enemies and her romantic connection to a neighbour that is a hunted scientist are credible and she shows some great emotions in those scenes. That's the reason why I think that she has way more potential than being limited to play the crazy, lonesome, superficial whore image that Hollywood made out of that eccentric woman that has been through many hard times in her life. This is one of the rare movies from the last years where she can finally exploit a little bit more than this stereotype and truly act. The director still plays with her image of course but this time she plays authentically a responsible, serious and tough woman and not only a strange sex monster. There is only one sex scene and this one is quite credible. The rest is the same kind of dark eroticism that you also have in the Underworld movies and that fits quite well to the final product.

The other actors in this movie do a rather good job, for example Parry Shen or the short appearances of acting legend Faye Dunaway. Only Alec Newman is not quite convincing in this flick and his emotions towards a shining Bai Ling could be more passionate.

In the end, this movie is surely better than its reputation. I would definitely watch it again on a dark autumn or winter night. It's a very entertaining flick with cool action scenes, great music and a surprisingly good main actress in a dark dystopian atmosphere. Of course, fans of Bai Ling should also watch this. On the other side, the special effects are not well caught and the story line could be a little bit more original. This movie might be interesting for those that like movies such as Underworld, Equilibrium or The Matrix.

A visual mix of Necoromongers (Riddick), Blade Runner, and steam/cyber punk.

Some fun battles and interesting sfx.

More a "6" or 7 rate imo, but I gave it an 8 in counter to the pretentious movie-snob snowflakes scrutinizing this one like it should be taken seriously. ...to those I say, "Lighten up!"

I love this dark gruesome film. Hey...Bai really makes it worth watching. She's kick ass! The film has a good concept...yea way out there but so what? A little confusing with all the "snakes" but so what? IMHO...candy for the eye.

Gene Generation is truly an oddity. It's hard to put a finger on whether its good or bad. The world created by copious use of cgi is certainly dark and has at its core a vision of humanity (possibly not even on Earth but another planet) as far in the future when society has broken down but various medical and engineering techs are still available, notoriously mostly on a black market. The cgi is dated now but is nevertheless awesomely impressive, and plenty of it, and startlingly original. For that alone this movie deserves some sort of status. The lead certainly looks impressive as well and I couldn't help but admire her costume department. The colour patches applied to her face was a really nice touch, updated three or four times throughout the film. She gives a good performance, her fight scenes being pretty good and athletic. Her brother has less charisma. Other characters are excellent actors, but are hamstrung by an overly simple story and script, which is slightly illogical. It just doesn't wash that hard bitten inhabitants of a cruel world would suddenly make basic errors, which applies to two aspects of the story, the personal and the tech. I have to give credit to attention to detail, which happens throughout, and runs concurrent with the cgi. There's blood and gore as well, alas, visually, this is not done well. The overall impression is one where it's all interesting enough to see one through to the end of the movie, and even enjoy it, but at the same time one wonders why more attention was not given to the script, plot and overall direction.

honestly I didn't give this movie my full attention. I'm not even sure who are the good guys or the bad guys.it lacks continuity it feels like the editor just randomly cut scenes out of the movie. it could've been better than it was but all in all when it's 3 or 4 in the morning and you can sleep give it a watch. I may be over rating it, but I really enjoyed the Asian lady as the lead. This would be a good movie for you and some friends to watch together for a few laughs and still be enjoyable. Hmm my review is to short. As I watched this movie I had questions, like: where is she going? is that Robert David Hall? who the heck is that snake person? what's with those weird mechanical fish like blimp things?

God cast, good cyberpunk story.

Reminds me of 80s 90s sci-fi. I myself can't seem to get enough.