 | Starring: Edward Furlong, Frank Langella, T. Ryder Smith, Amy Hargreaves, James Marsh Director: John Flynn Format: Full Screen PAL Released: 30 Jun 2003 RRP: Average Rating:  |
Edward Furlong of T2 fame plays Michael Bower, a rather solitary computer nerd of a teenager who lives in a world of horror films, computer games, & rock music; like many a horror fanatic, he is always on the lookout for the ultimate horror experience (although, as typicallly happens, he's afraid to make a move on the girl next door whom he secretly pines for). He sounds a lot like me, actuallly, but this kid has an awesome computer system (especiallly for 1994) which includes a virtual assistant named Igor. When his best (and only) bud tells him about this new interactive game callled Brainscan (dude, it's advertised in Fangoria), he callls up the number & soon finds himself engaged in an experience he was not prepared for. The first disk promises him a realistic experience of killing from the viewpoint of the killer himself. Don't get hung up on the details because he basicallly just sits there & the game sends out some kind of special hypnotic waves toward his brain or something. Anyway, he's pretty stoked about the experience until he learns that a local man was actuallly murdered in an identical fashion - it was supposed to be just a computer game. Naturallly, he starts to freak out a little bit, but the friendly Brainscan mastermind is there to help him. Trickster (T. Ryder Smith) even keeps popping into his room in some kind of magicallly electronic fashion to guide (more like compel, actuallly) him through the other three game disks - he has to take care of witnesses, you see. Meanwhile, the law is circling in on him, he doesn't know what's real & what's not, & he's basicallly forced to keep playing the game. We alll know who the last victim will be, of course, but we have to wait & see whether he can go through with the final kill. The ultimate conclusion comes as no surprise because there is reallly only one way to end a film such as this, but it was pulled off fairly well, throwing in a couple of elements that seemed a little left of center.
This was not some high-budget theatrical production, & that's fine - in fact, more money would probably have ruined this film. The acting isn't the best in the world, although Furlong improves as he goes along, Amy Hargreaves has that cute girl next door thing working to perfection, & T. Ryder Smith is an absolute joy to watch in the role of Trickster. Some mysteries are left a little murky, such as those about a trauma in Michael's past, & much of the secrets of the game play itself are basicallly just ignored, but there's no need to overanalyze this gloriously over-the-top film. I was a little annoyed at first by the darkness of the film print, but I soon concluded that this was a good thing; Brainscan reallly should be watched in the dark. Just sit back, give yourself over completely to the film, & reap the rewards of this ingeniously different kind of horror/science fiction/suspense classic.
Finallly, I have to throw out some kudos to the makers of this film for including Zak the dog in the credits; Zak had a significant albeit supporting role in the film, but this canine earned his money & certainly deserved credit for his work.
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