Grade: C+

Verdict: Send in the clones — better yet, send them away.

Details: Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Rated PG-13 for strong action violence, brief strong language and some sensuality. Two hours, 4 minutes.

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Review: If you're feeling nostalgic, “The Grinch” isn't your only option at the megaplex. Consider “The 6th Day,” an attempt to recapture the high-concept glory years of the late '80s and early '90s, when there was still something novel about watching Arnold Schwarzenegger demolish entire buildings, kill dozens of extras and toss out “ha-ha-you're-dead” quips.

In other words, this sci-fi thriller about cloning is a clone itself, borrowing elements from Arnold'sCQ “Total Recall” plus a few ideas from “Blade Runner” and “Face/Off,” all of which are much better movies.

Schwarzenegger plays family man and ace pilot Adam Gibson. He's so toothily upbeat, it's not surprising that a wealthy customer insists he take a drug test before booking a charter flight with him. Ah, but was it really just a drug test? Adam goes home that night to find his doppelganger blowing out the candles on Adam's birthday cake. Two seconds later, Adam's being chased by a thug named Marshall (Michael Rooker) and his two punk accomplices.

They're the soldiers of corporate bigwig Drucker, who you know is the villain because he's played by Tony Goldwyn (“Ghost”). Drucker oversees an illegal human cloning facility, in partnership with scientist Griffin Weir (Robert Duvall; yes, really). Adam, you see, has been cloned by mistake, and he or his clone must be killed to protect the nefarious enterprise.

Of course, you may find yourself wondering how scientists in the fictional near future can create insta-people, but nobody can make Schwarzenegger speak understandable English.

In the wake of Dolly the sheep and the mapping of the genome, “6th Day” shrewdly taps into a hot-button issue, then pretty much blows it. The science here is ludicrous. Here, clones are made faster than it takes to heat soup. The movie is really just an excuse to let Schwarzenegger do a lot of shooting with a cool laser gun, dangle from the side of a flying helicopter and try to prove he can still be an action star at age 53.

It's his best hope, since despite being in so many movies he still can't act. The movie hits a low point with several scenes that have him appearing with himself. I'm sorry to report that neither one of him inspires the other to come close to a believable performance.

The movie isn't a washout. It delivers lots of competent explosions and chases. Better yet, it has a sneaky sense of humor, showing us a world where pets are routinely cloned to keep children from having to deal with death. Jennifer Gareis steals scenes, even though she's semi-transparent, playing a Virtual Girlfriend hologram. And there's something called Sim Pal Cindy, a semi-organic children's doll that looks like a possessed child and is annoyingly talkative; she/it gives the movie's most memorable performance.

— Steve Murray, Cox News Service