Review of eXistenZ (1999) by Lise W — 22 May 2011
I remember seeing the trailer for this movie when it came out in '99 and thinking it looked trippy, but I've never developed an appreciation for the work of Jennifer Jason Leigh (aside from her performance in the Hudsucker Proxy) so I ignored it and let it pass til now. I'm still not into her.
The "what is what" puzzle can be fun in movies. Memento, for instance, or Synecdoche, NY (another decent JJL job). The first about a man trying to find his way back, the last about a man trying to move forward and losing his way in the precisities of his own design.
EXistenZ is about the distortions between reality and fantasy as a by product of media overconsumption. Less psychological, and more of a statement about the absurdity of gaming-entertainment becoming a priority in people's lives and corporations at large exploiting society's ever-expanding escapist attitudes.
Deep, right? A total literal brain tweak. Do it, Cronenberg. You're the king. Make it hard to figure out, if not impossible, but make it interesting, so I can't take my eyes away. And don't forget to make it gross. I want slime, I want guts and purring, licking insects. Guns made of mutated lizard bones and human teeth. Butthole tramp stamps getting jacked by greased-up umbilical cords.
This review of eXistenZ (1999) was written by Lise W on 22 May 2011.
eXistenZ has generally received positive reviews.
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