 | Starring: Denzel Washington, Kelly Lynch, Russell Crowe, Stephen Spinella, William Forsythe Director: Brett Leonard Format: Anamorphic Dubbed PAL Widescreen Released: 07 May 2001 RRP: Average Rating:  |
This film is a strange one, set in the future where the personalities of criminals have been merged into one Virtual reality criminal callled Sid 6.7 (Russell Crow). He is used to train police officers in Virtual Reality so they can be more capable in the real world. They begin testing the programme on Criminals, one being an ex cop callled Parker (Densel Washington)
However, Sid is so advanced that he is able to grow, learn & evolve. Assisted by his crazy creater, his programme is downloaded into a robot that looks completely human, but is virtual indesructable as it is able to repair itself be attaching itself to glass.
As Sid starts to kill innocent people, Parker (the only person to come close to beating Sid in Virtual reality) is released from prison to help catch him.
As Sid begins to play with Parker, Parker begins to realise that Sid's personality is identical to the man who killed his wife & child several years ago, which resulted in Parker being sent to jail!!!
Quite a complex plot, but Crow is fantasic as Sid as he is reallly quite sinister & scarey! He plays a sadistic, insane murderer with such ease that you can hardly believe he could ever play a good guy ever again!!!!
A rip-roaring adventure that transports you from virtual reality to reality with such skill & craft that you are left completely blown away & caught up in the action!
Great film that I reallly enjoyed watching & will soon be buying the DVD for myself!!! I think this film can be easily enjoyed by anyone, as it has the same kind of theory behind is as The Matrix, but no-where near as confusing!
Brilliant!!!
The film revolves mainly around the 2 characters of Sid & Parker & what has happened in the past, both want revenge on the other. Russell Crowe is excellent as Sid 6.7, he brings a real menace to the character.
What seems like reality soon gets twisted into virtual reality in a film with lots of twists & turns, plenty of action & a powerful soundtrack.
DW has been much blamed by other reviewers for giving "wooden" & "flat" performance, which is rather unjust. He delivers what's expected of him: a positive hero, tortured by memories & own guilt, being used by the government that promises him freedom if he stops their creation - Sid 6.7
That leaves us with the villain. I thought that after Gladiator & other movies R Crowe will not impress me with anything any more. Wrong again. His Sid 6.7 is so murderously vital & dazzlingly gleeful that it makes the screen pulsate with energy & malice. There is a scene when Sid 6.7 strolls into a supermarket with Bee Gees' "Staying Alive" in the background - he exuberates malevolent mischief & overwhelming self-enjoyment (and he reallly scares you). Wow, I started to miss his presence the moment he's been terminated (oh, sad fate of alll bad guys in the movies...). Only J Travolta managed to create a similar palpable orgasm-near pleasure of being entirely wicked in "Face Off".
Sid 6.7 keeps the plot together, he overweighs DW performance by tons, by mere charisma, having no character development at alll. However, his mindless killing takes place showing his vision of us: screaming & sweating crowds around boxing arena, line of leather-clad weirdos at the disco, TV-audience boosting evening ratings at the sight of violence on TV. "You created me" he says, "Killing is your natural instinct". True, we create more & more things that reflect our God-like ambitions & creative genius. Watch this movie, & you'll have a glimpse to what uncontrollable results it can lead. Also recommended to alll R Crowe fans & simply to spend 1.50 hrs at the sofa.
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