User Reviews

'Brainscan' is a true 90's horror classic. The film has a unique premise, and an ending you won't see coming from a mile away.

Ok, so the film is about a gaming fanatic, Michael (Edward Furlong) who boasts about having played every game out there. Through his friend Kyle, he is introduced to a brand new, super interactive game called 'Brainscan'. And it literally means just that: it scans your brain and incorporates your subconscious mind into the game. Things soon get much, much more complicated than this, though (for Michael).

Furlong is very good as Michael, but the best performance by far, was T. Ryder Smith as The Trickster. He defines the character. The film's make-up and visual effects are also very good, keeping in mind CGI wasn't a big thing back then. (CGI was only really prominently used in films after the success of 'Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring).

'Brainscan' is fast-paced and captivating, keeping the viewer glued to the screen. The film sucks you in as Michael's world spirals out of control. There never really is a dull moment. This is a very clever script. On the downside, the film's lighting isn't very good, resulting in a film that is very dark - even during daytime. Nevertheless, 'Brainscan' is an interesting watch with a great reveal.

This will probably be more suited to a teen audience, but it is good fun throughout. Edward Furlong (T2) plays a horror fanatic who stumbles upon an advert in a horror magazine advertising a CD ROM game called 'Brainscan' He decides to play it but is skeptical, that is until he gets a little more than he bargained for. The idea is good and it holds up for most of the way if not all, but it is good for a rental and will keep you amused for an hour and a half. T. Ryder Smith is good as 'Trickster', a creepy character who emerges from the game.

Now lets see, Boy likes video games, boy becomes a murderer because of video games, sounds stupid? Well, to my surprise, BRAINSCAN was a wonderful trip through the warped imagination of the films devious writers. The film does copy many modern day classics, but, with a unique flair.

Freddy Kruger look out! The lead ghoul in this flick can appear any time. You need not be asleep when he comes to call. The plot, oh yes, it has one, although it is not that unusual,does hold your interest The characters are quite vivid and work well in telling this dream like tale. Basically, the film is more of a comedy. One liners flow like the blood of many of the films hapless victoms.

I would have probably enjoyed this horror venture a lot more have I been a much younger man. It has been many years since I saw my teens or in fact my 20's, but Brainscan is one of those rare movies that can appeal to anyone who enjoys a good horror spoof.

A very strange film. If I had seen it as a younger kid, I think I would have been a lot more into it. With a plot about a virtual reality video game in which you get to indulge in people's sickest innermost urges (killing people).

It's a little too violent for pre-teens, yet that's why it would be such a stand out movie at that age. Unfotunately, it's a little too awkward and dumb for anyone over the age of 15 to really get into. The strange mix of the "video game plot", with the extremely voyeuristic murder scenes, and the goofy HOST of the game, "Trickster" who is reminiscent of Howie Mandell's character in Little Monsters, doesn't blend quite so well. The movie overall gives you a very uncomfortable feeling but it's too campy to be one of those "I love it because it's so incredibly hard to watch" movies like Irreversible for example.

The cheesy effects are actually pretty entertaining at least. Recommended for Edward Furlong fans and fans of simply bizarre 90's movies, otherwise not so sure.

With all the horror remakes of the 70s, 80s and now 90s and even beyond, I'm surprised that no one has come up with a more 'modern day' take on this forgotten little tech-horror film. Edward Furlong, looking almost like John Connor from 'Terminator 2' just three years earlier, plays a loner teen who's well into his horror movies. When he hears about a new kind of interactive CD-ROM (hey, this was the nineties - that sort of thing was very futuristic back then!) which promises the 'ultimate experience in terror,' naturally he signs up.

What follows is a series of mindbending - and murderous - events which Furlong finds himself tied up in, albeit with the 'help' of a sinister entity known as 'Trickster' who comes out of the TV to influence him.

On paper, this should have been some sort of classic. Yet, after watching it, I can't help feeling that it's just missing that little something that could have turned an 'okay film' into a great one. Everyone's performance is good - special kudos to the actor who plays 'Trickster' who clearly wants to turn the character into some sort of new 'horror icon' in the 'Freddy' or 'Jason' mold, but just obviously this wasn't the vehicle to do so.

The premise is nice and the special effects are decent (right up to the end where some of the worst computer-generated effects appear ever!). Then, finally, it just kind of ends with a whimper rather than going out on a bang.

I didn't regret watching it. It's a decent enough little tale with enough nifty touches to keep you entertained. I just found myself thinking that it's a shame more couldn't have been done with the script/premise when it clearly had a talented cast, idea and budget behind it.

Well I first watched this movie when I was 18 in 1994 and, feeling a little nostalgic thought I'd give it another look as I remembered it being good. Most times when you've watched a movie at a younger age and re visit it its never the same and left with the feeling of 'what the hell did I see in this'. Im happy to report that this movie is still as original as I remember and still a good watch. It was never a mainstream movie and was a new concept when first released. The acting is mostly good and the music chosen fits in well with the story line. This has got to go down as one of the classics from the 90's that everyone from that period needs to see at least once.

Edward Furlong is not a good actor. He made his name in one of the best action films ever made, Terminator 2, the young actor carried by the star power of Schwarzenegger and James Cameron's incredible action set-pieces, but his lack of talent soon saw him slide into obscurity, appearing in trash like Brainscan on the way down. In this awfully dated technological horror, Furlong is insufferable, his whiny voice grating on the nerves, his character Michael so obnoxious that one longs for something bad to happen to him. Which it does. Sort of.

Horror fan Michael is hauled over the coals by his principal, who isn't happy about the lad's high school 'horror club'; in future, any activity, be it game or movie, must be submitted to the principal for approval. Still, nothing can stop Michael getting his horror kicks at home: after calling a hotline to learn more about interactive CD-Rom game Brainscan, which claims to be the ultimate horror experience, a disc arrives in the post. Michael plays the game, which interfaces with the subconscious, putting the player into a hypnotic state where they 'become' the killer; but when he regains consciousness, Michael discovers that the person he slaughtered in the game has been killed in real life.

Furthermore, Michael meets the mischievous The Trickster (T. Ryder Smith), the game's supernatural host, who tells the boy that he must play subsequent discs if he wants to avoid being arrested for murder by hard-nosed homicide cop Detective Hayden (Frank Langella). Michael reluctantly continues with the game, which results in the death of his best friend Kyle (Jamie Marsh), with Kimberly (Ann Hargreaves), the cute girl-next door, his next potential victim.

If Furlong's terrible acting isn't enough to make you switch off, then the dumb story, dreadful Freddy Krueger wannabe villain, and terrible visual effects should do the trick(ster). This one also boasts some really bad early examples of CGI, but what really makes it really laughable is the equipment in Michael's bedroom: clearly Michael's father is rich, but is he wealthy enough to buy his teenage son what would've been considered cutting-edge computer tech in 1994? And are we expected to believe that the kid customised this kit by himself, creating voice-activated AI a full two decades before the introduction of Alexa? Get this boy a scholarship at M. I. T.!!!

After much stuff and nonsense, all of Michael's trouble's turn out to have been part of the game, everything we have witnessed having happened while he was still under a form of screen-induced hypnosis. This blurring of reality and fantasy seems like a big cop out, but it does lead to a neat twist at the end in which Michael gives the game to his principal for approval, knowing full well the horrors that await him. It's the best part of the film - shame that everything that precedes it is so lame.

3.5/10, generously rounded up to 4 for the music (White Zombie, Pitchshifter, Mudhoney, Primus).

I originally saw this when I was maybe 13, and I found it a rather tense movie back then. While I wouldn't say that any part of the movie is "scary", I don't think that any of it even attempts to be. Instead, I found myself simply feeling uneasy while watching it.

I recently decided to rent it for the nostalgia factor and give it another watch, fully expecting it to be horrible and downright laughable, but I was surprised to find that this movie still has the power to make me feel uneasy and even uncomfortable while watching it.

The scriptwriter's alien ideas about how computers and games work are indeed rather laughable, but if you can forgive those, the movie does an admirable job of pulling you into Michael Bower's world. Anyone who has ever done something wrong, and felt that queasiness that comes with the knowledge that yes, you are going to get caught, can relate to the situation Michael is in. The main theme, played several times throughout the movie, is very creepy and mood setting; I loved it.

I found Brainscan far more compelling than the standard slasher flick or monster movie, and would readily recommend it to anyone looking for something a little more psychological.

Michael Brower (Edward Furlong), a lonely fan of horror films and video games still suffers from lingering trauma (both physical and mental) as a result of a vehicular collision that disabled his leg and killed his mother. Michael's niche interests are a point of ridicule for the student body and a point of contention for the faculty who equate such interest on the level of rape and narcotics. When Michael's only friend, Kyle (Jamie Marsh) tells him of a new interactive horror game called Brainscan, Michael calls the info number and is sent a copy without having placed an order. The game delivers on fear, but the presence of a malevolent entity known as The Trickster (T. Ryder Smith) blurs the lines of reality with the horror of the game appearing in real life.

Brainscan was one of the few Slashers still released to cinemas in a time where the genre was mostly on the decline and entries were dumped on Home Video or cable. While slasher series such as Leprechaun, Child's Play, and Candyman did emerge during the 90s, most of them couldn't hold audience interest and were met with either diminishing margins or sequels going straight to video. One of the last film's to be released by Gaumont/Columbia joint venture Triumph Releasing Corporation before reorganizing as Sony Releasing Corporation, Brainscan was a critical and box office disappointment upon release opening at a dismal 10th place upon initial release and withdrawing from theaters two weeks later. While Brainscan isn't a lost horror classic by any means, I think it does have more on its mind than most give it credit for.

The movie was released shortly after the moral panic on video games in the early 90s spawned by games such as Night Trap and Mortal Kombat that lead to the congressional inquiries of 1993 as well as the establishment of the ESRB so the industry could self regulate (not unlike the moral panic of the 30s that put an end to Pre-Code Hollywood with the establishment of the Hayes Code). Brainscan has a rather subversive attitude to its subject matter, playing devil's advocate for gory horror films and violent video games at a time when they were very much under attack. The movie even goes into breakdowns of the appeal behind this kind of entertainment with Edward Furlong's character Michael discussing such entertainment as an escape while David Hembeln's Dr. Fromberg makes hyperbolic statements on Michael's entertainment choices comparing viewing of horror films to Rape in one scene. Even once the terror of the movie begins, the movie uses its framework as a way of breaking down how we project ourselves into these types of entertainment as a way of contrasting and exploring our underlying fears in a fantastical exaggerated sense that serves as an outlet to help us understand our fears. It's a really smart breakdown of horror that feels genuine.

While the movie's take on horror from an analytical view is certainly well done, the movie as a horror film itself will be somewhat disappointing to people expecting a fright fest. T. Ryder Smith as The Trickster, a entity who appears to Michael through the video game and makes causal wise cracks about murder and mayhem is trying to be a digitized take on Freddy Kruger, but at no point is he legitimately scary and I'd equate him more with something like Beetlejuice but even Beetlejuice could be a little threatening despite being a comedic character. The Trickster I found more aggravating than funny or intimidating and the choice to model the character with an exaggerated Punk Rock style just seemed more confusing than anything else. Most of the kills in Brainscan happen off camera, and even when we do see them they're fairly tame in comparison to the high points of kill scenes in Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street. Brainscan while interesting in playing Devil's advocate for Horror films and video games isn't really all that interested in being a horror movie itself and plays more like a dark comedy.

While Brainscan will be disappointing to those expecting a digitized Nightmare on Elm Street as promised by the advertisements, Brainscan shouldn't be completely written off. The movie isn't all that scary, but it tackles the genre from a deconstructionist point of view looking at the appeal behind the genre and the purpose it serves its fans. While the movie doesn't want to be a horror film itself, it's production design and attitudes shows a real love, respect, and understanding of the genre. As long as people set their expectations correctly and are okay with a darkly comic coming of age story that happens to have horror iconography without much actual horror, Brainscan shows it does have a brain.

I'm so confused about all the high ratings for this movie. I mean it's so bad. Edward Furlong is a terrible actor. The people that made this film expected him to carry this film made a mistake. His acting is cringe worthy. The script was good and it had potential but it just fell flat. If I were you I would skip it!

A movie like Brainscan is unique. The characters in this film only exist in the time that the movie was made. Brainscan can almost be called a period film today due to its embracing the troubled youth subculture of the early nineties. Ed Furlong of Terminator 2 is a high school student that exposes himself to large amounts of Horror, Hard Rock, and Video Games. When his obsessions become his vices, he experiences the fear of losing control of the only thing he truly possesses; himself. A sinister antagonist called The Trickster drives the plot of the movie and forces the main character (Furlong) to become either a hero or a victim. The movie is well paced and has an entertaining score/soundtrack. This film should be highly recommended to fans of Horror, Sci-Fi/Fantasy and admirers of Frank Langella and/or Edward Furlong.

Brainscan has a neat premise that couldve made for a fun outrageous sci-fi slasher but unfortunately that's not what we got. We instead got a bland middle of the road slasher that's obviously poking at the uproar of video game violence that was happening at the time. The virtual reality merging with actual reality isnt explored enough & it leaves the movie feeling pretty uneventful. The slasher elements are extremely minimal and downright tamed for an R-rated movie. Edward Furlong does an ok job but his character Michael is so dull. They try giving him a tragic backstory & life but there's not enough nuance to his performance. There's also way too many plot conveniences for him to escape trouble. The other characters aren't any better & while the trickster is a bit fun to watch in his first scene there's not much to him afterwards. He just feels like a low rent Freddy Krueger that was trying to appeal to the demographic of the 90s.

Speaking of the 90s that's really the only reason to see this film is for how much of a time capsule it is. Michael's room is like every 90s kids dream room. Hell I was born the year this movie came out and I want this room. Metal & horror movie posters appear throughout and the soundtrack is pretty good itself. It's just a shame everything else is a bore & didn't try to be more ambitious.

Brainscan is a fun, shocking, and enjoyable horror film that is one of the most underrated films around. Edward (T2) Furlong stars a troubled teen named Michael who loves horror movies and horror video games. His dad is never around and his mom died when he was a kid. He also likes to spy on his school-mate neighbor as she gets dressed. One day he gets a game disc in the mail for a new virtual reality game called Brainscan. A game in which you commit murders. But Michael soon finds a severed foot in his freezer and all hell breaks loose. Especially when the creepy and bizarre Trickster appears...guiding him to certain terror. This film was a pleasant surprised that had a charm about it. Furlong is believable as the troubled teen and turns in a great performance and T. Ryder Smith is both disturbing and cool as the evil demon behind the video game. Trickster easily steals the show. There is some good deaths and some decent gore. You get some T&A, a lot of hard rock music, a nosey detective, horror movie references, and some solid special effects. The movie seems to fly by and the end is a real treat. A solid horror rental for any horror fan. I have no idea why someone tried to compare this to "In the mouth of madness". Too bad the girl next door wasn't actually cute or attractive.

A really original movie, and the 80s nostalgia really brings the whole movie to life. At first the main character kid was doing my head in but it didn't distract me too much as the storyline was really going somewhere. Sometimes when you watch movies like this its easy to pick fault as they are so many years old now, but the monster-feeling 80s mystery movie is a fun watch.

Edward Furlong is well cast as Michael, a sullen and awkward 16 year old with few friends, and a passion for horror films and computer games. This makes him the perfect choice to try a new game called "Brainscan", which puts him through the paces of committing murder. Then, the crime is manifested in reality, and he is understandably panicky, especially when a tight-lipped homicide detective named Hayden (Frank Langella) starts glaring at him suspiciously. A character dubbed Trickster (T. Ryder Smith) emerges from the game to repeatedly goad Michael into action, and otherwise chew on the scenery.

People of a certain age who are into the same sort of hobbies as Michael will likely enjoy this the most, although it's not without its pleasures for other audiences. The plot, in which fantasy and reality are always mixed up, is fairly familiar (Andrew Kevin Walker scripted, from a story by Brian Owens). Overall, "Brainscan" doesn't hold any real surprises, although it does have some entertaining visuals and effective gore. This was a rare step into genre work for the veteran filmmaker John Flynn, whose eclectic resume includes "The Outfit", "Rolling Thunder", "Defiance", "Best Seller", and "Out for Justice". He keeps it moving along well, and gets a reasonably sympathetic performance out of Furlong. Amy Hargreaves is appealing as the neighbour whom Michael spies on (among his other pursuits, he's a voyeur). Langella is good in a nicely under-stated performance as the cop. Smith is amusing in the films' big showcase role; the filmmakers were probably hoping that he would become something of a genre icon, but this has not been the case so far.

"Brainscan" is goofy and patently far fetched, but is also intense and creepy at times as well, entertaining its viewers in decent enough fashion. It definitely can boast a haunting George S. Clinton score and a soundtrack full of solid tunes.

At first, the ending comes off as a little too annoying, but there was at least one thing about the story resolution that tickled this viewer.

Six out of 10.

Skynet should have sent a whole team of terminators back in time to eradicate Edward Furlong and the rest of the creators of this film before they could have a chance to bring this mess to the screen.... at least the soundtrack is decent.