ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

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The trailer I saw for this movie didn't tempted me to watch it, and even the Wikikedia summary of the plot can't untangle the so-called plot.
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The Thirteenth Floor (1999)

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The 2nd 'virtual reality' thriller of the year (following The Matrix), this did not enjoy a fraction of the former's success, probably due to a lack of stars and poor marketing.

The main character, Douglas Hall, is played by Craig Bierko, who never became a big star, while Vincent D'Onofrio has a good supporting role.

The concept is great. What if we create an alternate reality through our use of computers and all the 'inhabitants' of this computer-reality, despite being just bits of data, consider themselves as real & valid as us?

It all goes back to that old saying: I think; therefore, I am.

This idea is then refurbished halfway through with a surprise revelation (though experienced film-goers will guess this about a third of the way in). But, somehow, the exciting ideas are not translated well through the story. There is a hum-drum monotonous tone throughout and most of the actors kind of sleepwalk through their roles (Gretchen Mol, especially, is completely lacking in any screen presence). Armin Mueller-Stahl appears as the originator of the technology.

The filmmakers also fail to fully develop the repercussions of these tantalizing, even mind-blowing concepts. After all, this all seems to point to some very dangerous aspects, philosophically, of our ever-growing technology. The dangerous potential is glossed over in the end, as if prepping for a sequel, which looks doubtful now.

BoG's Score: 6 out of 10


BoG
Galaxy Overlord Galactus
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)