Hahahahahah hah ahha hh hahhhahhah h. Well oh. Every time you pick the
best film of the year out.. Something else blind sides you. Well I should
have expected Cronenberg to do it. But not with this much grace and style..
We go into the somnambulist types of realities of early horror film. But
instead of being in a sleeping reality. Or a drug enhanced reality (Naked
Lunch), Cronenberg has managed to go it again later in the decade on a
concept that Andrew Kevin Walker tested out Mid decade under the direction
of John Flynn (Rolling Thunder, Lock UP)with the film "Brainscan".
However Cronenberg (the chair at this years Canne Film Fest) has not concentrated
on a the bullied Horror Fan as central focus instead he has switched his
focus on Realists and God LIKE game creators.
The title gives you the concept that is being tackled. eXistenZ (capital
X capital Z) is based around theories of existentialism. Which is a anyone
or thing that blows on and on into infinite about the importance of existence
and the many forms in which things can exist. Be it a virtual or 4th density
type world that the human body currently inhabits (see Kierkegaard for
more). However that is in no where near where the story ends. That is more
the style and narrative of the game they are playing.
I would personally call this a stylistic sequel to "Naked Lunch"
and find myself eXtremelY interested in where Cronenberg will go next.
The performances were spot on. Jennifer Jason Leigh shows her on screen
strength and vulnerability and this would be her best roles since "Bastard
out of Carolina" (Well she a her scenes deleted from that Kubrick
film). Jude Law (WILDE, Gattaca) is the character that we are to relate
to and he does a good job of defining and calming audience confusion. The
rest of the cast is made up of Cronenberg regulars and fill the roles they
are meant to. Sarah Polley (Go, White Lies, The Sweet Hereafter) my favorite
actress only gets a very limited role in this film but it's an important
one.
Advice for seeing this film. Laugh at all the SEX gags (more than a
Carry on film truly), they are meant to be funny. Enjoy the in and outs
of the narrative and most of all. Remember to scream in frustration when
the credits start rolling like most of the audience I saw it with did.
Is it better than Brainscan.. On some levels.. But overall I'd give them
both the thumbs up and a A+. eXistenZ is the best film to come out of Canada
since "White Lies".
A+
, 1998-1999.