Virtuosity
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Movie Reviews of Virtuosity
Movie Review: Crowe steals the show
Summary: 4 Stars
Russell Crowe is fantastic and steals the spotlight away from Denzel Washington who also does a fine job in this futuristic movie. I will be the first to admit that the storyline is not the greatest but the entertainment value is excellent. Russell Crowe (Sid 6.7) is a computer generated bad guy who needs all the attention that he can find. The only man for the job is Denzel Washington who is sent on a mission to find and destroy Sid 6.7. That is a tough problem because Sid can rebuild himself similiar to the Terminator.
The more attention that Sid receives the more outrageous he becomes. Kelly Lynch also stars as Denzels partner.
DVD sound and picture is very good.
Movie Review: The ultimate bad guy vs. so-so good guy...
Summary: 3 Stars
It proved me right again - trust only your own eyes, especially when it concerns an action movie with rating varying from 0 to 5 stars.It's not a blockbuster, true. However, it's far from "yawn-inducing spawn of Lawnmover2" and other futuristic crap about nano-technology and cyberspace. There are plot-holes, but show me similar movie without any. Indeed, the plot is not mind-wracking: an omnipotent killer (RC) from cyber-space, created for cops' training by some secret government organization, breaks loose, and only an imprisoned ex-cop (DW) whose family has perished in an explosion from another terrorist, can stop him. There is also a girl, Madison, some type of psychologist helping him in his quest (or rather getting on your nerves by providing such statements of great importance "He likes to show off!", or "Oh, my God!", with aplomb of K Jung.) She also serves as appendix to her daughter, who'll be playing an important role in the end of the movie.
DW has been much blamed by other reviewers for giving "wooden" and "flat" performance, which is rather unjust. He delivers what's expected of him: a positive hero, tortured by memories and own guilt, being used by the government that promises him freedom if he stops their creation - Sid 6.7
That leaves us with the villain. I thought that after Gladiator and other movies R Crowe will not impress me with anything any more. Wrong again. His Sid 6.7 is so murderously vital and dazzlingly gleeful that it makes the screen pulsate with energy and malice. There is a scene when Sid 6.7 strolls into a supermarket with Bee Gees' "Staying Alive" in the background - he exuberates malevolent mischief and overwhelming self-enjoyment (and he really scares you). Wow, I started to miss his presence the moment he's been terminated (oh, sad fate of all bad guys in the movies...). Only J Travolta managed to create a similar palpable nearly orgasmic pleasure of being entirely wicked in "Face Off".
Sid 6.7 keeps the plot together, he overweighs DW performance by tons, by mere charisma, having no character development at all. However, his mindless killing takes place showing his vision of us: screaming and sweating crowds around boxing arena, line of leather-clad weirdos at the disco, TV-audience boosting evening ratings at the sight of violence on TV. "You created me" he says, "Killing is your natural instinct". True, we create more and more things that reflect our God-like ambitions and creative genius. Watch this movie, and you'll have a glimpse to what uncontrollable results it can lead. Also recommended to all R Crowe fans and simply to spend 1.50 hrs at the sofa.
Movie Review: Mediocrity
Summary: 3 Stars
It's curious that Russell Crowe has become the sex symbol that he has since Gladiator--in this movie he's pretty creepy--he reminded me of an evil Peter Gabriel crossed with a sadistic Elvis, without the rhinestone jumpsuit. Others have said plenty about the plot, but there were holes in it that you could drop a supercomputer through. Why, for example, does the good head cop have to tell the other cops IN PERSON not to try to kill Denzel Washington's character? We've got technology enough to create a being from nanobots, but we can't even pick up a phone or a radio. Sheesh. And frankly I am sick to death of watching mere mortals outrun automatic weapons fire. There was a pretty good plot twist near the end that was well done and unexpected--and it was nice that the director let us figure out what was going on from the context rather than have implausible dialogue or unnecessary scenes--that was the highlight of the movie. Special effects were pretty good-obviously we were supposed to be paying attention to that rather than the plot. Overall, I'd recommend renting this one instead of buying--save your money for Matrix, a much better movie.Movie Review: Brett Leonard does it again
Summary: 5 Stars
No less than the Lanwmower man again, but far more funny and powerful due to the perfect team Washington/Crowe. Even if the plot is thin ice, the story is so entertaining you must forget the basic idea (an android unleashed from from a computer strikes !)is not that well used. These 2 wonderful actors just seem to have a big time and so are you. Buy it and you'll never get Sid 6.7 out of your mind.Movie Review: vicious (Sid?), effective Russell Crowe
Summary: 4 Stars
If you enjoyed Russell Crowe's Gladiator arena viciousness, watch Virtuosity as well -- its an effective display of mean streak :) Denzel is his standard bland cop. Great sfx of the blue silicon regeneration ala T2 -- ya just can't get enough evil robots putting themselves back together and start huntin' ya down again!