An effective psychological thriller masquerading as science fiction

Rating: 10/10 (4 February 1999)

I just want to amplify what others have touched on. This movie is not so much about its subject matter as its subject -- that is, it's about poor, obsessed, half-crazy Max and not about computers or number theory. So the computer he uses looks lower-tech than a TRS-80. So the chip he uses has only four pins, and magically fits into the socket he's already designed for it. If you dwell on the details, you'll lose sight of the brilliance of the movie.
The camera work, soundtrack and mania of the lead character all work together to make a gripping, tooth-grinding psychological drama. You are left with two opposite but alternative interpretations that center around the old professor's warning about his obsession warping his view of reality.
Was the professor concealing the truth to protect Max from his own discoveries, or was the professor warning Max against letting his obsession cloud his thinking?
The movie is full of subtleties that can fit either interpretation equally well.