(Life Through the Lens - Photo Illustration/MetroCreativeConnection)

“Assimilation is better than annihilation.”

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What better time to talk about the topic of exploration vs. exploitation than when Columbus Day (now with the addendum of Indigenous Peoples’ Day) approaches.

Exploration is human and natural. The unknown calls out to us to be known. There are few things in the world that stir my soul like adventure. I love the feeling of venturing out, of striding into the mystery, of discovery.

Exploiting has, sadly, become human and natural, as well. When the unknown becomes known, we want to control it and manipulate it. We want to use it toward an end, toward a quantifiable gain, toward a controllable and tameable goal. If we find an uncharted territory, we want to level it into a subdivision. Everything wild must be domesticated.

As the 15th century came to a close, there was as sense of adventure permeating the globe. There was wonder; there was danger; there was exploration. What if? was not a question dictated by fear but instead excitement. The world was open and inviting.

But along came fame and fortune. It wasn’t enough just to discover — discovery was nameless and profitless. Christopher Columbus was just another traveler in search of riches. Of sellable and tradeable goods. Of life to be packaged and shipped in the name of “progress.” His accidental landing in the Americas was the age-old story of “when life gives you lemons.” When life gives you established culture and abundant resources, you colonize it and suffocate it into submission. It quickly became a story of exploitation.

Let Monday be a reminder that exploitation is the antithesis of exploration. Be one to search without the pressure of the selfish results. Be open to differences without the expectation of conformity. Be an explorer!

The Glen is a typical neighborhood (emphasis on the “hood”). It is full of the typical characters: drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes, preachers, fast-food managers, hairstylists, beggars, shut-ins, etc. Everyone playing their part to keep the Glen moving ahead and on script.

One key player is Fontaine (John Boyega), the local drug dealer. On a routine outing to “get paid,” Fontaine visits the local pimp Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx). After a disappointing attempt to collect, Fontaine is gunned down as he exits by a rival gang. Another drug dealer gunned down – same old story …

Except, when the next day begins, Fontaine wakes up in bed without a memory of the night before. When Fontaine goes to Slick Charles to collect his debt, Slick Charles is dumbfounded! But … you were killed yesterday! Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris), one of Slick Charles’s sex workers, saw Fontaine’s bloody body put into a black SUV. When that detail is offered, Fontaine is desperate for answers. So desperate that the three confusedly concerned citizens find the SUV outside a trap house and dare to enter!

So a drug dealer, a pimp, and a prostitute enter into a dilapidated trap house …

How could a dead man come back to life? Why is there an elevator in a single-story, run-down house? Why is there a laboratory hidden beneath this hood-house? Why is there another Fontaine down here in a body bag with bullet holes scattered over his chest?

What the trio uncovers is bigger than anything they could have dreamed. Their lovable and predictable ghetto is nothing but a testing ground carefully maintained and balanced by a prevailing culture of exploitation. They are the subjects of a dominant and powerful attempt to keep them controlled “in their roles.” Right where they belong.

Netflix produces a seemingly endless stream of new content. It is staggering and daunting. When you log-on anymore, it is a chore just to sift through the New Releases. You are inundated with suggestions that are way off the mark and related content that is rarely related. Every once-in-a-while, though, Netflix pushes something original into the mix.

This year’s surprise for me is “They Cloned Tyrone.” It is a beautifully stylized, highly hilarious, and uncompromising unafraid satire. It speaks loudly to so much while never bridging into the mundane or the boring. It is a strange vehicle into the grounded sci-fi genre but one with immense heart and creativity.

Director/writer Juel Taylor has created a wonderful first feature film. I am beyond impressed with his vision and execution; it is a film of immense appetite, and it is no small feat to pull off! Taylor has a wonderful knack for tone, as well. His comedy is authentic – his references are comfortably outrageous – his aesthetic is classic yet progressive.

The production design (Franco-Giacomo Carbone) and the costume design (Francine Jamison-Tanchuck) are organic and instructive. The colors and the textures all add a necessary layer to this bold concept. The music by Pierre Charles and Desmond Murray is well designed and well timed.

Although the film has much to offer in every aspect, it is the acting that truly makes it remarkable. I confess to not always understanding the John Boyega draw, but he is fantastic as Fontaine. Truly fantastic! He is gritty and genuine, commanding and charismatic. Jamie Foxx is always awesome, using his range and humor with effortless ease. Teyonah Parris is surprisingly energetic and entertaining, holding her own at all times. The chemistry between the trio is incredible – they capture a moment and hold it hostage. They each amplify each other.

There are few Netflix productions at the level of “They Cloned Tyrone.”

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REPORT CARD: They Cloned Tyrone

Assessment: A work of style and substance