Xchange starts, & I quote, 'Tomorrow' in New York (complete with the Twin Towers...) where powerful businessman Eisner Scott (Scot Denton) is assassinated one night after dinner, it is thought that a terrorist organisation known as the 'NIA' was responsible. To smooth things over with the press Eisner's son Quayle (Charles Powell) calls in PR man Stewart Toffler (Kim Coates), unfortunately Quayle & the press conference is in San Francisco while Toffler is in New York so Toffler uses a process called Xchange where his consciousness is swapped with another person in San Francisco & thus swapping bodies too. Everything goes extremely well to start with & the press conference is a success but upon his return to be Xchanged back into his proper body Toffler (Kyle MacLachlan) discovers that his old body is now being used by terrorist named Fisk, as the company wants to keep the incident quiet Toffler is put under armed guard but manages to escape by Xchanging into a genetically engineered clone (Stephen Baldwin) that only lasts for 48 hours. Toffler contacts a friend named Madeleine Renard (Pascale Bussieres) a journalist who opposes the Xchange process, together they must locate Toffler's real body before time runs out...
This Canadian produced film was directed by Allan Moyle & is an OK time waster but the whole thing feels empty & distinctly average. The script by Christopher Pelham is alright, the film reveals it's twists too early as by the half way mark you know pretty much everything. Not that it's difficult to guess where Xchange is going, in fact it's far too easy work out what's going to happen. The budget obviously wasn't high as although Xchange is meant to be set in the future everything looks exactly like it does now apart from the interiors of the Xchange building & some of the props & technology. The central idea is solid & makes for a decent story but I couldn't help feel I was watching some cheap shot-for-TV film with it's lacklustre production design, generally poor special effects, dull cinematography, music I can't even remember even though I only watched it a few hours ago, desperate has been actors & a complete lack of anything exciting. There are a few sex scenes here but even they can't save Xchange from being throughly average, the sort of film that you would put on but wouldn't mind pooping out to the kitchen to make dinner while it's on or reading a book at the same time, there's just something about Xchange that totally failed to grip or engage me in anyway. There are a couple of nice moments, like when Toffler's boss Xchange's bodies with his personal trainer so he can work out in his body while he sits back & relaxes. Director Moyle fails to inject any sort of pace, excitement or suspense into the proceedings which obviously doesn't help Xchange's entertainment value. Oh OK I'll say it, I didn't want to but I will, Xchange looks like a cheap X-Files (1993 - 2002) episode. There is a touch of violence with a severed finger & a couple of gunfights but nothing that would worry or impress anybody these days. The acting is pretty poor throughout, the bad guy is bland & dull & I just never felt anything for anyone. Xchange is not a great film but then it's not a really bad one either, it's a film which left me somewhat cold & indifferent. It's an OK way to pass 100 odd minutes if you have nothing better to do or watch but I doubt it will blow anyone's socks off. Xchange is average at best, bland nonsense at worst but usually stuck somewhere between the two.
This Canadian produced film was directed by Allan Moyle & is an OK time waster but the whole thing feels empty & distinctly average. The script by Christopher Pelham is alright, the film reveals it's twists too early as by the half way mark you know pretty much everything. Not that it's difficult to guess where Xchange is going, in fact it's far too easy work out what's going to happen. The budget obviously wasn't high as although Xchange is meant to be set in the future everything looks exactly like it does now apart from the interiors of the Xchange building & some of the props & technology. The central idea is solid & makes for a decent story but I couldn't help feel I was watching some cheap shot-for-TV film with it's lacklustre production design, generally poor special effects, dull cinematography, music I can't even remember even though I only watched it a few hours ago, desperate has been actors & a complete lack of anything exciting. There are a few sex scenes here but even they can't save Xchange from being throughly average, the sort of film that you would put on but wouldn't mind pooping out to the kitchen to make dinner while it's on or reading a book at the same time, there's just something about Xchange that totally failed to grip or engage me in anyway. There are a couple of nice moments, like when Toffler's boss Xchange's bodies with his personal trainer so he can work out in his body while he sits back & relaxes. Director Moyle fails to inject any sort of pace, excitement or suspense into the proceedings which obviously doesn't help Xchange's entertainment value. Oh OK I'll say it, I didn't want to but I will, Xchange looks like a cheap X-Files (1993 - 2002) episode. There is a touch of violence with a severed finger & a couple of gunfights but nothing that would worry or impress anybody these days. The acting is pretty poor throughout, the bad guy is bland & dull & I just never felt anything for anyone. Xchange is not a great film but then it's not a really bad one either, it's a film which left me somewhat cold & indifferent. It's an OK way to pass 100 odd minutes if you have nothing better to do or watch but I doubt it will blow anyone's socks off. Xchange is average at best, bland nonsense at worst but usually stuck somewhere between the two.