A Trend in Movie Sci Fi?

Rating: Null/10 (6 April 1999)

Hey, what's happening to science fiction in movies? Time was, Science Fiction on film broke down easily into just a few basic food groups:
Most of it is basic "space opera", westerns and detective stories transplanted to the future, pretty much the same conflicts existing in our time and country, transplanted to other planets or outer space, in the far future. Regional conflicts become global, global conflicts become galactic. Basic formula made fresh by the environment.
Rarely, it is satire, examining today's social problems, disguised in space suits and different species.
But if you wanted to examine the extrapolation of serious, thoughtful ideas, you really had to read a book. The best science fiction is too involved, too convoluted, too complicated for the movies, because it challenges our very philosophy of existence, and actually makes us THINK. So you only found it in books most of the time.
Until lately. Lately, some brave producers have dared to test our patience and willingness to look and listen. These dares have not always worked, or even entertained, but it's the thought that counts.
Last year, the thought that counted was DARK CITY, a cartoony combination of NOIR, Animae, and other derivations that held our interest with far more than an adventure story set in some futuristic world. It played with our heads with a far more sinister idea than the Truman Show, and compelled us to ask fun questions. Cool stuff. That thought counted. And the look of it was nifty too.
This year, THE MATRIX offers another wild ride that goes beyond the 'oh wow' school of sci fi flicks, and also dares to question our comfortable notion of the very nature of existence and reality. Whoa! Heavy! Tough stuff for movie fans today.
This is old stuff to those who read science fiction, of course. We Luddites of the printed page have seen this many times before, and done better in books, but to make a shoot-em-up, thunder-action dark movie thriller with THAT as a premise, is daring indeed. Oh my, here it is in a movie. A movie? Yes, and so we see the reviews that call it 'complicated', 'obtuse', 'confusing', 'confused', and 'vague.' No, actually, it just asks us to pay attention, something usually unheard of in a sci fi flick.
The casting of Keanu Reeves, contrary to what you've read, is actually right on. That vague, clueless look of his is perfect for this part. But Bill & Ted didn't know they were clueless on their way to an excellent adventure, and so had all the foundation in reality they needed to sustain them. In this film, poor Keanu has nothing strong enough, and he responds exactly as any REAL semi-conscious nerd might---eyes and mouth half-open all the time. It adds to the verisimilitude. I far prefer that to the easily-adaptable scientist/warrior who quickly accepts mind-reading slugs and methane-breathing intelligent plants as the new norm. I LIKE a helpless confused punk in full denial of a new reality. Much more true to 'life', which adds to the irony.
As usual, you should forget the machinery in this show-it doesn't really make sense on any level, and that's not the point anyhow. Plotholes abound, but the effects are so good and the action is so swift and confusing, as it is meant to be, that you really won't care. The look of the sets, lighting, and costumes will maintain your view as much as the high-level effects. Sure, you can add up the contrivances in the conflict easily, but you'll be talking about the premise, effects, and outrageously overplayed villains long after you leave the theater, and that's more than you can say for "Analyze This!"
The movie makes many excellent choices: It makes no apologies for the Alice-in-Wonderland references, and in fact, depends on them. Sydney Australia stands in for the nightmarish cityscape that serves as only ONE of the film's realities. Joe Pantoliano, scene-stealer from The Fugitive and U.S. Marshals, shines above the unknowns in the supporting cast. Lawrence Fishburne is way cool as the Yoda behind the stylish shades. The bad guy playing 'Agent Jones' is a wonderfully disgusting, overplaying goon, proving that the film refuses to take itself too seriously. Thank God for that.
Evidence of "The Committee" is here--that notorious round table of cooks that keep tossing audience-grabbing conventions into the mix: Martial arts, secret meetings, girls in leather, never-empty guns, explosions, breaking glass, 'copter-crashes, the training of the Jedi-type warrior, the invincible evil ones, cool computer screens, car chases, roof top chases, street chases, and various uhh, chases.
It works in spite of the committee. Who are you really? Are you dreaming this? What does 'déjà vu' really mean? Can we disregard time, space, and gravity?
Somebody actually answers all these questions correctly in this film.
It entertains, and it gives you some stuff to hash around at the coffee shop afterwards.
Can this be a trend? Dark City last year, The Matrix this year, atmospheric dark thrillers that go far beyond wild action alone?
Hope so.
Check it out from the very last row of the theater, where you can appreciate the entire composition of the frame. Just one more thing worth noticing in what was supposed to be just another action flick for the kids.