Engrossing thrill ride

Rating: 10/10 (19 February 1999)

If you're the type of person who comes to movies just for escapism, this is a good movie to watch. It's a thrill ride that always keeps you guessing, yet it's enjoyable and keeps you glued. John Brancato and Michael Ferris were also the credited writers on "The Net", and like that underrated film, this asks the question; what if everything you took for granted was thrown out of whack? Another way to see this is as the ultimate virtual reality movie. And like any good director, David Fincher turns the screws so subtly that by the time you realize he's done it, you're hooked already.
Michael Douglas, of course, has played so many yuppies he can do them in his sleep, but luckily he didn't here. He even shows the man behind the facade here. Sean Penn seems an unlikely choice, but he keeps you guessing. One performer who gets overlooked usually is Deborah Kara Unger. Her role may not be that big, but it's certainly key, and the ambiguity she radiates fits perfectly with the tone of the film. Good character actors like James Rebhorn and Armin Mueller-Stahl also turn in memorable performances. As for the ending, I can understand how some may have felt cheated, but I loved it.