running time approximately 1hr
40mins reviewed by jack choo rating : the movie starts with a rather se7en - ish opening sequence , rather cool and sets the mood for things to come .
the story propels the audience into a neo - reality ; somewhat very close to conscious reality but laced with weird tinges of blue and red .
existenz is actually the name of a new virtual - reality game .
supposedly , vr games are highly popular as is considered a legal - drug in this neo - reality .
*
*
*
* ( leigh ) is the ultimate game creator and introduces her ultimate game - experience in the form of existenz .
players are required to have bio - ports embedded in their spine , which plugs to a game - pod in order to enjoy the immersive experience .
during a secretive beta - testing - cum - teaser meeting for this new game , an assassination attempt on
*
* * life occurs and she runs off with fellow bodyguard
*
* * ( law ) .
*
* * is more of a realists than anything else , afraid that he 'll lose reality if he begin to play these games but
*
* * requires his help to immerse together with her into existenz to check if the program is still functioning properly after the assassination attempt .
as they soon discover , they are transported between realities within existenz uncovering more than they initially expected .
existenz has all the cronenberg - gore that is expected of him .
even so , this film is no - where near his cult classics such as videodrome or scanners .
not even half as suspenseful as the commercially successful the fly .
existenz can probably be looked upon as his 90 's version of videodrome , even so ,
it is a poor follow - up .
while in most of his famed films , his penchant for gore always hit the right note with theme of the film and plot .
in existenz , the gory sequences are no more attached to spirit of the film and seem to be an act of over - indulgence than anything else .
jennifer jason leigh and jude law ,
both commendable actors , looked aloof and miss - directed throughout the entire film .
the scripting and acting barely pulls the film out of the b - grade category .
it was obvious that cronenberg worked on a really tight - budget and
it seems that he handled that pretty well in the production design and values created for this film ( the opening sequence , though , probably formed a considerable portion of the budget ! ) which is actually quite good .
existenz is too predictable and cliched in these times .
10 years ago , it would have been another classic for cronenberg .
cronenberg fans however , ( those people who enjoy seeing friends getting queasy over mutilation on film ) should not give this film a miss as some form of appreciation can still be offered by you .
this film is no - where near his cult classics looked aloof and miss - directed throughout the entire film . the scripting and acting barely pulls the film out of the b - grade category too predictable and cliched in these times it is a poor follow - up