Rating of
2.5/4
Johnny Mnemonic.
TrifibianTerror - wrote on 02/10/10
Johnny Mnemonic.
This film details the exploits of a 21st century 'data courrier' named Johnny Smith, played by the emotionless Keanu Reeves, who transports data in his head for clients. But when a secret and potentially world changing piece of data is downloaded to him, it overloads his brain and gives him 24 hours to live, that is, if the Yakuza hunting him don't kill him first.
I bought this movie recently prior to this review, and I had always kept this idealized vision of it in my head of a pseudo-cyber-steampunk retro-futuristic Mega-City One type setting and some mad government plot. I didn't really get that, however. Though I will say it wasn't a bad film, it wasn't great. Sure, Keanu's usually inhuman and emotionless performance was perfect for this, but over all, I didn't feel like the universe was explored much. It had great potential as a good hellish future franchise where technology is god and the devil. I do realise this was based off a short story, but I still would have liked a bit more expansion into the world in which it was set.
The characters in this film are, dare I say it, quirky, with their own specific traits, like Johnny who just wants the next job and loses his memories for it, to the crazed Street Preacher and then Jones, the cyber-dolphin.
I believe this is a very character driven film, their personalities providing the main drive for the story, more than the actual cause of the story; Johnny's overloaded brain and the mysterious information within.
I would have given this film a better rating if it was longer and went into it's own universe a lot more, but other than those factors, it was an okay film. Not great, but not total ass either.
It does contain one absolutely brilliant scene, though, wherein Johnny is on the run with Jane and he becomes sick of his predicament after a flaming car nearly kills him, and ends up screaming on a pile of dirt, 'I WANT ROOM SERVICE!!!'.
Phenomenal.
But you know what, I do reccomend this film. Give it a go, rent it out or buy it cheap, like I did. It's not great, but does provide an interesting idea.
