Ghosts in the Machine

Twelve years before starring opposite one another in "American Gangster", Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe's first face off came in this oft-forgotten sci-fi bomb

There was a pocket of time during the 90's when virtual reality was all the rage. It was the driving force in films like "Arcade", "Brainscan", "Strange Days", "Total Recall" and several more. There were cumbersome VR pods at malls and movie theaters across the country. Even movies that weren't centered around it, like Disney's "Blank Check" and "First Kid", featured it prominently in scenes. Nintendo and Sega also tried to cash-in on the craze with their ill-fated Sega VR and Virtual Boy experiments. In the midst of this boom, Brett Leonard would direct not one, but two of these science fiction vehicles. He helmed and co-wrote the cult sleeper "The Lawnmower Man" in 1992 before moving on to 1995's "Virtuosity". This time, it's Denzel's character who is in pursuit of Crowe's, a cold-blooded murderer who escapes the boundaries of computer programming and starts terrorizing the real world.

Washington stars as Parker Barnes, a former police lieutenant who's imprisoned after a manhunt for a terrorist ends tragically. While incarcerated, he and another inmate become guinea pigs for a project intended to train law enforcement officers for the future. They test their mettle against Crowe's SID 6.7 (Sadistic, Intelligent and Dangerous), a virtual reality serial killer composited from some of the most notorious psychopaths in history. After an unfortunate "accident" threatens to shutter the program, SID convinces his creator, Dr. Lindenmeyer (Stephen Spinella), to orchestrate his escape from virtual reality via a synthetic body. After SID is freed, Barnes is released to track him down with the aid of criminal psychologist Dr. Madison Carter (Kelly Lynch).

Per usual, Denzel's screen presence and charm work in spades, but it's Crowe who steals the show. He chews scenery like bubble gum, delightfully portraying a uniquely over-the-top villain. His charisma and manic energy are undoubtedly the highlight of a film that, quite honestly, is full of positives. Its science fiction elements are intriguing and at $30 million dollars, pairs some admittedly slick visuals with well-staged action sequences. The stunt work is top-notch and there are a number of inventive story elements at play, but it's difficult to deem the movie as being good. Structurally, it's a bit of a mess and rather dull in moments where Barnes and SID aren't at each other's throats. The ludicrous script leaves a lot to be desired, despite a good cast that features the likes of Louise Fletcher, William Fitchner, William Forsythe and a young Kaley Cuoco. For every point it earns with its effects, it deducts one for some overly ambitiously CGI that looks dated even by 90's standards. Still, there's a glimmer of greatness in "Virtuosity" that makes the cyberpunk thriller a fun guilty pleasure in spite of its ridiculousness. They certainly don't make them like this anymore. C