by Zach Kluver, entertainment editor
“eXistenZ” starts off with a presentation in what looks like a bit like a run-down abandoned church. The leader of the conference begins describing a new video game from an apparently famous game designer, Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh). A very reserved person, she smiles awkwardly throughout her few lines before the audience begins testing the game. When she reveals the game’s appearance, however, is when this movie begins to get weird. Rather than pulling out what you’d expect for a virtual reality game console, like a pair of goggles with screens in them, it is revealed that the games come on strange looking, fleshy, moving pads that people who play plug into a hole in their back. As Allegra begins downloading the game onto all the participants’ game consoles, an extremist man pulls out a fully organic (as in made of bone and flesh) gun, yells, and shoots Allegra Geller and the original presenter.
“eXistenZ” is, in case you haven’t gathered, a very strange movie. It’s directed by notable horror director David Cronenberg, but it isn’t really a horror film. It’s more of a thriller with a futuristic, but not quite sci-fi appearance. Despite its similarities to “The Matrix” (virtual reality, released the same year), “eXistenZ” is fundamentally different. “eXistenZ” is confident enough in its story telling ability that it doesn’t need action scenes every 15 minutes, and one especially interesting thing about the characters of “eXistenZ” is that we never really learn their backstories. The viewers only see what is happening right now, and we don’t really know any of the characters that well, which leads to some fascinating plot developments later in the film.
“eXistenZ” only features two really important characters. It’s understandable how this could turn it into an extremely boring movie, but Cronenberg avoids it excellently and admirably. One of the best things about the movie is that it deftly dodges everything that should be wrong with it, and instead turns it into a definite plus. Jude Law performs excellently in this movie as the confused and conflicted Ted, but Jennifer Jason Leigh really steals the show with her performance.
Despite its tired premise of virtual reality video games, “eXistenZ” manages to pull out not only a captivating story, but great characters, ideas and themes that solidify it on my list of top five movies of all time. It has great potential to become a cult film as well, because there’s something new to find every time you watch it.
