Review of Strange Days (1995) by Adam T — 04 Sep 2008

The best film about video addiction since "Videodrome." While Cronenberg created a nightmarish horror flick focused on the changes technology forces us to undergo, Bigelow has crafted a fast-paced cyber-thriller/murder mystery which mantains a high level of tension and suspense for its entire 2 hour and 30 minute running time. It is set in a decaying, pre-apocalyptic Los Angeles, two days before the start of the new millennium, which imbues the film with a level of uncertainty and immediacy which makes this more intriguing than most of the "post-apocalyptic" sci-fi flicks out there. Also fascinating are the scenes of graphic violence and sexual decadance, which are simultaneously horrifying and perversely erotic, which makes for a complex experience that should create a great deal of self-examination. The technical mastery displayed here is astounding (on numerous occasions I was left wondering, "how did they film that?"), and the acting is uniformly excellent, particularly Ralph Fiennes' performance as a sleazy, manipulative dealer of virtual reality porn (which actually reminded me somewhat of Tony Curtis' turn in "Sweet Smell of Success"). Despite the movie's pessimistic depiction of a bleak and cruel society, the ending provides an optimistic view of the future, one which I certainly hope is not just wishful thinking.

Edit: After my second viewing, I decided to dock a star from the overall rating, due to some very questionable dialogue that apparently went right past me the first time around. There are too many corny speeches and crude lines like "You could sell a rat's ass for a wedding ring," and "His ass is so tight when he farts only dogs can hear it." Also, I find it extremely funny that, in the film, one of the "most important black men in America" is a 'drug-smoking, gun-toting,' sexually promiscuous rapper with a criminal record. Just sayin'.