Starring: Keanu Reeves, Dina Meyer, Ice-T, Takeshi Kitano, Dennis Akayama Directed By: Robert Longo Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC Label: Sony Pictures Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Pan & Scan Region Code: 1 Release Date: November 26, 1997 Running Time: 98 minutes Theatrical Release Date: May 26, 1995
Amazon.com: You might be tempted to call it "Johnny Moronic" after you've seen this illogical and derivative adaptation of William Gibson's cyberpunk short story (available in his book Burning Chrome), which is all the more depressing since Gibson himself wrote the screenplay. First you have to ask yourself why valuable top-secret electronic data would be stored in the "wet-wired" brain of a human courier (played by Keanu Reeves), who then transports the data from China to New Jersey as part of his last, most dangerous assignment. Surely there are better ways to transmit sensitive information, but since this is really just a conventional thriller with near-future design and spiffy special effects, Gibson and New York artist Robert Longo (making his directorial debut) are more interested in surface gloss and cyberpunk atmosphere. On that level the movie's fairly engaging, and Japanese film star Takeshi Kitano makes a pretty good villain, tracking Reeves down for the information in his data-packed brain. The movie also boasts an eclectic gallery of supporting players including rapper Ice-T, performance artist and rocker Henry Rollins, beefcake actor Dolph Lundgren, and transcontinental oddball Udo Kier. They can't stop this trip through virtual reality from being botched up, but sci-fi fans will certainly enjoy the echo of Gibson's fiction that remains on the screen. --Jeff Shannon
Beyond Corporate Control A fascinating film that brings together several genres and also several influences. First the technical level of virtual reality and computerized graphics. Interesting though not exceptionally original (see for one example The Lawnmower Man). Second the Japanese, Chinese, Honk Kong, Kung Fu type of action. There it is in a way renewed because it is grafted onto, into or under another type of post-apocalyptic vision that is typically American: underground resistance (with one of the archetypes being the Terminator trilogy, or The Running Man) or people who refuse the modern slavery imposed by the corporate trust that governs and controls the world, through dependence on data-processing machines that create a nervous disorder that is both incurable and catching. The models of this underground vision are numerous. Here he sets it in the guts of an old decaying bridge, so over-ground and over-water, in between two banks it does not join any more. Great. The film adds to that a small dose of brain manipulation, mind torturing with elements that have been made famous by The Matrix trilogy for example. The most original element is that the brain is used as a data transporting device that cannot be hacked or pirated since it is not going through a digital network. And the last load of data comes from China (the future of the world?) though it is ridden with riots and rioting crowds (the anti-Chinese-communist element?) and has to be taken to the USA, Newark mind you, to be offered to the world for its own salvation by the underground resistance (the American boy-scout do-good syndrome?). Then the other interesting elements are more isolated elements here and there than structuring elements. The dolphin that this poor Johnny obstinately calls a fish is a nice piece of animal and mammal lore that makes the dolphin the saving intercessor of humanity. The criminal Christian preacher who crucifies his victims in the name of Jesus and God is a wink against the fake Christians who are selfish and interested, even greedy in money and power bigots. And the final liberation with a final scene of natural vegetation and landscape with real natural colors is very similar to the end of the third Matrix. But this time the intercessor, messenger or courier did not have to be sacrificed and he finds a new lease in life with some restored memory. Interesting indeed, but within a full background without which it looks slightly dry and sterile.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines
The Future Looks Disappointing... The fact that Keanu Reeves' success in the "Matrix" trilogy has eclipsed all past missteps in his career surely makes bearing the burden of having starred in "Johnny Mnemonic" easier for him...but even now, there's no denying that it's one really silly movie.
This failed "cyberpunk" thriller tells the tale of a "mnemonic carrier" - a man with the ability to hold encrypted digital data inside of his head (Reeves) - being hunted down for carrying a particularly touchy bit of information inside of his mind; running from an evil corporation, the Yakuza, and a delusional and deadly preacher (Dolph Lundgren, "Universal Soldier") in a drug-laced dystopian future, he hooks up with a beautiful bodyguard Jane (Dina Meyer, "The Movie Hero") and the two of them begin a race against time to extract the information from his head.
My most immediate beef with the film is that Keanu Reeves cannot act in it to save his life. Dynamics and an archetypal character helped him cover this up in films like "Speed" and "The Matrix", but from jokish contemplative scenes to a guffaw-inducing rant, "Mnemonic" is not at all Reeves' best vehicle. Then again, he can't touch Henry "Spider" Rollins, who almost steals the picture with his atrocious performance. Even fans of Dolph Lundgren will find their hero in less than top-form (after getting over the comedy of seeing him in an overgrown beard and haircut and wearing a robe). I hate to say it, but Ice-T is the best actor in this whole film.
With a brainiac story and no acting to speak of to fall back on, the movie even fails when it comes to compelling action: what's there is poorly thought-out and choreographed, with no kung fu and only the blandest of gunfights to occupy yourself with. In addition, there's some questionable logic to try and sort out - like, why did Jane save Johnny in the first place? Why did the Yakuza kill Ralphie? Why are the Lowteks armed only with crossbows when they have all sorts of other technology at their disposal? Why is Dolph, featured minimally, listed as a starring role? I don't know - all logic disappears when it's found out that dolphins wearing techno-gear are used to decipher codes in the future.
Eventually, "Johnny Mnemonic" is a lopsided mess: I can't decide whether the filmmakers were trying to be too carefree or too serious with the script, but combined with imperfect actors and some poorly-executed scenarios, there are few upsides to this movie. It's no surprise to me that director Robert Longo has yet to make another feature...
avoid like plague I was quite excited about an adaptation of one of Gibson's works, but in retrospect, I wish I never saw this movie. It actually put such a bad taste in my mouth that I've stopped following Gibson's written works.
Two Comments:
Keanu is a HORRIBLE actor in this film. It's been years, but I still can't forget him standing on a pile of junk and complaining about how he misses his expensive suits and prostitutes. So bad.
The Director is HORRIBLE. Seriously, I could have put this film together better.
Future shocked at how ridiculous I really enjoy Keanu Reeves in everything he does, but this one is crazy. The story's ridiculous and it's played too seriously to be good. Ice-T is cool as usual and you won't even recognize Dolph Lundgren. Oh well, can't all be hits.
great deal on a not so great movie this movie is awesomely bad, i mean who fights a dolphin other than the bad guys in flipper? really.
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