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eXistenZ (1999)
Review David Cronenberg has one of the most distinctive thematic signatures of any filmmaker working today. For 25 years, this independent Canadian has explored abnormal and mutilated bodies and the darkest secrets of the human psyche. Few directors are more thematically ambitious than Cronenberg, and few have posed more intriguing questions through their films. His latest entry, eXistenZ, is a fascinating and visually captivating delve into the concept of virtual reality. There are similarities with The Matrix, although eXistenZ is a more idiosyncratic experience with less affiliation with genre conventions. Cronenberg toys with the idea of eliminating the distinction between game characters and real-life people, and the film dances around Cronenbergian peculiarities such as mutant reptiles and computer games that are connected directly into the spinal cord. There are fine lead performances from Jennifer Jason Leigh, who remains one of the most interesting actresses of her generation, and Jude Law, who is slowly transitioning from pretty-boy roles to more challenging parts. Law and Leigh find a good cadence to their interplay as they dive into Cronenberg's virtual reality. eXistenZ answers fewer questions than it asks, but constantly challenges both your senses and your intellect, surrounded by a delightful Cronenbergian wrapping. An aesthetically assured, occasionally repugnant, and stimulating picture.
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