One of the best low budget psychological horrors ever made.
Edward Furlong plays Michael, a teen-aged boy who lost his mother at a young age. As a result, he has lost his zest for life, and his respect for all things. He has ONE friend, and a healthy teen-aged fantasy life centered around the girl next door with whom he would love to enter into a relationship, but he lacks the courage and fortitude to even attempt it. Because of his loathing for his present life, like many of America's youth, he retreats into the world of video games as an escape.
Enters BRAINSCAN, the newest innovation in VR video games. Michael has played everything on the market, so there is little chance of this one being any better.
Wrong! This one, I think it's safe to say, completely alters his perspective on life, love, and death. It changes his life.
Excellent cinematography, adequate direction, and weak performances from Frank Langella as the local homicide detective (why was he even IN this movie?!); James Marsh as Kyle, Michael's only friend; and Amy Hargreaves as the girl next door tend to drag down the decent performance given by Edward Furlong and the excellent and compelling talents of T. Ryder Smith as Trickster. That character was an odd combination of Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, and Hannibal Lecter, portrayed beautifully by Smith.
While this movie is far below its possibilities, it still is a top notch mind twister of a thriller. There are no scary moments, however.
It is not that kind of movie. This movie was more of a psychological mind twist than anything else.
SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT.
Michael was forced by Trickster (and ultimately the game) to kill Kyle to show him that things DO matter; friends matter. And then later encouraged to do in the little cutie next door for the same reason; to show him that love also matters. And in discovering these truths, he came to understand that he, himself, mattered; a condition which he had never considered to be true.
This movie has many holes in the plot, some serious acting flaws, and tends to be a bit immature. BUT, it's still a very entertaining enterprise, and well worth a good viewing or two.
And lastly, some critics have labeled the ending as "stupid." If you have the mentality to comprehend the element of a twist, you'll get the ending of this movie. Was it all in his head...or wasn't it? Was any single element of the game, reality? Or was it reality which is the game? Definitely worth watching. I rate this high on my list of mind twists along with "Fallen," "Identity," and "The Game."
It rates an 8.9/10 on the "B" scale, from...
the Fiend :.
Edward Furlong plays Michael, a teen-aged boy who lost his mother at a young age. As a result, he has lost his zest for life, and his respect for all things. He has ONE friend, and a healthy teen-aged fantasy life centered around the girl next door with whom he would love to enter into a relationship, but he lacks the courage and fortitude to even attempt it. Because of his loathing for his present life, like many of America's youth, he retreats into the world of video games as an escape.
Enters BRAINSCAN, the newest innovation in VR video games. Michael has played everything on the market, so there is little chance of this one being any better.
Wrong! This one, I think it's safe to say, completely alters his perspective on life, love, and death. It changes his life.
Excellent cinematography, adequate direction, and weak performances from Frank Langella as the local homicide detective (why was he even IN this movie?!); James Marsh as Kyle, Michael's only friend; and Amy Hargreaves as the girl next door tend to drag down the decent performance given by Edward Furlong and the excellent and compelling talents of T. Ryder Smith as Trickster. That character was an odd combination of Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, and Hannibal Lecter, portrayed beautifully by Smith.
While this movie is far below its possibilities, it still is a top notch mind twister of a thriller. There are no scary moments, however.
It is not that kind of movie. This movie was more of a psychological mind twist than anything else.
SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT.
Michael was forced by Trickster (and ultimately the game) to kill Kyle to show him that things DO matter; friends matter. And then later encouraged to do in the little cutie next door for the same reason; to show him that love also matters. And in discovering these truths, he came to understand that he, himself, mattered; a condition which he had never considered to be true.
This movie has many holes in the plot, some serious acting flaws, and tends to be a bit immature. BUT, it's still a very entertaining enterprise, and well worth a good viewing or two.
And lastly, some critics have labeled the ending as "stupid." If you have the mentality to comprehend the element of a twist, you'll get the ending of this movie. Was it all in his head...or wasn't it? Was any single element of the game, reality? Or was it reality which is the game? Definitely worth watching. I rate this high on my list of mind twists along with "Fallen," "Identity," and "The Game."
It rates an 8.9/10 on the "B" scale, from...
the Fiend :.