Or is it the fault of unreasonably prolonged timekeeping - almost two and a half hours. Although it seems that there are no special saggings of the plot - it develops slowly, but in a film with a detective bias it is so. Whether it's in Rafe Fiennes - apparently, the villains he manages better (Harry from "Lie low in Bruges", Voldemort from the adaptations of "Harry Potter"; however, it was later), but the hero of it turned out to be unconvincing - then goes dull, then sweet smiles (just like foxes in cartoons), and even is constantly beaten (former police officer!?) I understand that the goal was to create a “non-heroic hero”, but not the same.
Is it in the world presented to the viewer? The film was released in 1995, the time of action is the eve of 2000. There are riots in the streets, tanks, demonstrations, pogroms – what a forecast for the future of America for five years! Pessimists are Americans. Again, I understand – I wanted to tie the events of the film to the round date, the millennium and all that (although in fact then I would have to look at 2001 – it is, strictly speaking, the first year of the new millennium). But, given the dramatic changes in social life and technological progress shown in the film, it would be possible to move the action at least 10 years ahead, if not more.
Well, in detail - a lot of erotic, a lot of punk rock with female vocals (I do not like this combination), in general a lot of everything, especially the crowd of people, in which the main character rushes and pushes. The fantastic assumption of recording human memory and transmitting it directly to the brain is curious, but in the film it is mainly presented as an attraction for perverts. This is all subjective.
And objectively - a strong medium thriller, not entirely meaningless. For example, questions are raised: should the truth about the crime be made public if it could divide society? Is it ethical to do this to save your own skin? Justice or Peace – Which Is More Important? Or is it important to survive and not care about the consequences?
However, these issues are solved in Hollywood, head-on.
Bottom line: The cover reads, “Sexy Dynamic Thriller.” Sex, or rather, eroticism, there really is a lot. Lots of dynamics out of the question. As for the thriller, it seems to be difficult for the heroes, but the suspense is not particularly felt - rather a detective and a bit of an action movie. In general, the film is very peculiar, if you like old-fashioned fiction, punk rock and the atmosphere of a little futuristic noir, you may like it. But I was exhausted by the spectacle of crowded rainy streets and no less crowded and gloomy clubs - in more than two hours.
6 out of 10
Upd: In the course of work on the review, I watched “The Grand Budapest Hotel” – after all, Rafe Fiennes “can play positive roles”, at least now. Original