Virtual reality has never been so radical and extreme, and VIRTUOSITY puts those points to the utter test. Denzel Washington stars in a
pretty thankless role as Parker Barnes, a vengeance-ridden cop who has to stop a vicious killer named Sid (a deliciously over-the-top Russell Crowe). But there's a twist that helps this seemingly-formulaic cop vehicle out of the cliche pitt: Sid isn't human, but a computer- generated creation made for human likeness, and fitted with 200 person- alities of the most notorious criminals imaginable (Hitler, Charles Manson, and John Wayne Gacy are among the list).
A discriminating viewer would totally dismiss VIRTUOSITY for it's
flamboyant view of violence (when they explain that Sid is a crazed killer, they weren't kidding!). Plus, one can't help but wonder why Denzel Washington, the star of fine films such as MALCOLM X, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and the intelligent cop drama TRAINING DAY would ever end up in a silly macho popcorn flick such as this one? Despite that, however, Washington tries his hardest keeping his tongue firmly in
cheek. He even has a scene where he himself goes postal on a baddie, which strongly parallels his hardened cop character from TRAINING DAY. But the film's real winners go to Russell Crowe and its creative
out-of-the-ordinary premise. Crowe has a field day playing the maniacal Sid (a totally different character transition as oppose to his more brooding and silent roles such as Maximus from GLADIATOR and Bud
from L.A. CONFIDENTIAL). Plus the new approach of making the killer a creation of Virtual Reality is quite ingenious; in that way,
artificial intelligence is jacked to the max, and the villain isn't human but a machine, much like the Terminator but with more feelings. It's almost like fighting a bloodthirsty Max Headroom.
pretty thankless role as Parker Barnes, a vengeance-ridden cop who has to stop a vicious killer named Sid (a deliciously over-the-top Russell Crowe). But there's a twist that helps this seemingly-formulaic cop vehicle out of the cliche pitt: Sid isn't human, but a computer- generated creation made for human likeness, and fitted with 200 person- alities of the most notorious criminals imaginable (Hitler, Charles Manson, and John Wayne Gacy are among the list).
A discriminating viewer would totally dismiss VIRTUOSITY for it's
flamboyant view of violence (when they explain that Sid is a crazed killer, they weren't kidding!). Plus, one can't help but wonder why Denzel Washington, the star of fine films such as MALCOLM X, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and the intelligent cop drama TRAINING DAY would ever end up in a silly macho popcorn flick such as this one? Despite that, however, Washington tries his hardest keeping his tongue firmly in
cheek. He even has a scene where he himself goes postal on a baddie, which strongly parallels his hardened cop character from TRAINING DAY. But the film's real winners go to Russell Crowe and its creative
out-of-the-ordinary premise. Crowe has a field day playing the maniacal Sid (a totally different character transition as oppose to his more brooding and silent roles such as Maximus from GLADIATOR and Bud
from L.A. CONFIDENTIAL). Plus the new approach of making the killer a creation of Virtual Reality is quite ingenious; in that way,
artificial intelligence is jacked to the max, and the villain isn't human but a machine, much like the Terminator but with more feelings. It's almost like fighting a bloodthirsty Max Headroom.