the 1990s produced two brilliant science fiction films .
one was _ gattaca _ .
the other was _ the thirteenth floor
_ .
just as _ gattaca _ was overshadowed by the mighty _ titanic _ ,
_ the thirteenth floor
_ was relegated to obscurity by _ the matrix
_ .
however , _ the thirteeth floor _ , though it deals with similar themes , is a much better movie than the frenetic , childish and improbable _ matrix
_ .
a cutting edge computer scientist , hannon fuller ( played by the charming armin mueller - stahl ) , is murdered .
his associate , douglas hall , ( craig bierko ) apparently framed and suspected by the police , enters into the simulated world they have created in order to unravel the mystery .
along the way a beautiful blonde ( gretchen mol ) , more bodies , and a deepening mystery about simulated worlds complicate the picture .
_ the thirteenth floor
_ unfolds slowly and telegraphs its punches , choosing to elicit the more complex emotional response of empathy and anticipation rather than the cheap one of mere surprise .
the result is a movie that is a failure from two conventional points of view .
first , its plot revelations can be foreseen if one has carefully followed its complex storyline .
second and more seriously , it demands that its audience think and feel .
no wonder it fell through the cracks .
done in film noir style as a murder mystery , this is a relatively deep movie that functions on several levels .
many audiences will simply be bewildered by it , rather than engaged , which is a shame , because this movie amply repays a little emotional and intellectual investment .
i recommend a second viewing simply to get the flavor of the frequent ironic foreshadowing in the opening parts of the movie .
despite its philosophical challenges , _ the thirteenth floor _ derives its emotional force from the love story between jane fuller ( mol ) and douglas hall ( bierko ) , as well as the close friendship between douglas hall and hannon fuller .
in that sense it is more akin to _ gattaca _ than _
the matrix _ , which , for all of its cute philosophical byplay , is an adolescent movie with no emotional depth whatsoever .
the moment when jane fuller confesses her love for douglas hall is at once satisfying , wrenching and intellectually challenging .
in its final moments the film even takes on itself , when david , jane 's husband , who has come to enjoy killing , accuses her of being the sick one .
although there is a victory for the leading characters , this resolution suggests a disturbing element of fantasy in jane , and thus a deep - seated character flaw .
in fact , hannon fuller 's activities in the simulated world , the behavior of jane 's husband , and the effects of entering the simulation on douglas hall all hint at similar issues with those characters .
this is not a film of good people beset from without by great evil .
the tragedy is not in their stars , but in themselves .
the major actors , all of whom are required to play two or even three roles , perform extremely well .
bierko , who will be familiar as the psycho from _ the long kiss goodnight _ , is outstanding .
d'onofrio as whitney , who plays a pivotal role in support , also turns in a good performance .
the lovely gretchen mol , whose elegance , integrity , and determination suggest bergman in _ casablanca _ , does a wonderful job .
her voice , however , lacks the necessary weight at times .
this could be because she was given the worst lines in a movie whose major weakness is the script .
some minor flaws , hairline cracks in fine porcelain , appear in places .
there are one or two instances of jerky editing .
the script takes the edge off the film 's climaxes .
the atmosphere becomes too claustrophobic at times ( yet , there is a clue there too ) .
one wonders if even after two decades , _ blade runner _ is still casting its long shadow over sci - fi films .
one can see a group of suits in their suite , waving their hands imperiously at directors like the emperor in _ amadeus _ : " make it more
like_blade runner _ , you know , dark and rainy .
"
_ the thirteen floor _ is that rare exception among hollywood movies : a , rich , emotionally satisfying , intelligent sci - fi movie .
and yet , ultimately , it proves the suits right .
for when good sci - fi is made , where is the sf community turning out in droves to see it ? if we do n't support great sf , who will ?
turns in a good performance perform extremely well that rare exception among hollywood movies : a , rich , emotionally satisfying , intelligent sci - fi movie outstanding i recommend a second viewing does a wonderful job a much better movie