eXistenZ (1999) - 7/10

 I've really only known about David Cronenberg through references and reputation. The little that I did know was that he favored sci-fi/horror concepts and frequently used 'gross' body images/mutations in much of his work. So, when the randomizer brought me to this weird little movie I really didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to find a surrealist thought piece about humanities unbridled fervor for technology told in an almost Matrix/Inception hybrid structure. Let's get into it.

1. Acting

The acting here feels appropriate for the style/type of movie this is. I guess that is my way of saying it is good but not great. Jude Law does well in what would be an early role for him, but the stand out is Jennifer Jason Leigh. She is an actor that I have enjoyed before but her delivery has always been just a bit different then other actors. It can be somewhat off-kilter in a sense. That, however, was perfect for this film and it felt like she just understood the world. 

The supporting cast is also good and full of some fairly big hitters. Willem Dafoe, as usual, is a scene stealer and rounds things out nicely during his sequences. 

2. Cinematography

The thing that stood out in the shooting of this film was Cronenberg's willingness, if not gleefulness, of body horror. The shooting style, framing and color all seem to take a bag seat to just getting closeups of weird biological creations. Everything from the bio-ports to the bio-pod to all the amphibian mutations and dissections are all unnerving and it feel's like Cronenberg is trying to take the audience all the way up to, or past, needing to look away.

3. Production/Costume Design

Since the cinematography seems to want to linger in its body horror moments, it was essential that the prop and VFX teams designed believable but still uncanny creations. It is meant to disgust you in at least some ways, but I also found it fascinating to see all the places they decided to go to. To put it another way; it was weird, but I kinda liked it. 

4. Writing

I really enjoyed the structure and plot of the film. It immediately made me think of Inception as the two leads delved deeper and deeper into the game world until nothing felt real anymore. It also clearly is drinking from the same cup of the Matrix and simulation theory that became popular around this time. 

I also enjoyed the idea underlying the film; is technology approaching a point where we have lost control of it? Humanity has a habit of jumping headfirst into new technologies and Cronenberg seems to wondering if we are capable to understanding the consequences we may suffer because of that. It is a theme that seems apparent in his other work as well, in one way or another.  

The odd sensibilities of the film play into this quite well. The odd nature of everything playing out on screen and with the actor's performance all lend credence to the notion of losing one's sense of reality.

5. Sound Design

I noticed in the opening scroll that Howard Shore was credited with the soundtrack, but by the end of the film I hadn't really even noticed any of the music. 

Otherwise the general sound effects do standout in a few ways- almost all related to the gross bodily related sounds of what is transpiring onscreen.

6. Editing

I was surprised to see that the runtime was only 97 minutes. It felt slower at times and feels like it was content to take its time letting scenes play out. Not necessarily a bad thing, but also not a strength. 

I did truly feel like I was losing track of reality along with the characters and I think that is a credit to the plot design and editing choices.

7. Visual Effects

This mostly ties back in with the production design. Most of the VFX for this movie appear to be highly practical and I think that was important. The biological horror nature of the film needed to feel real in a sense. And I think digital assets would have been detrimental to triggering disgust for the audience.

8. Originality or Strength of Adaptation

I mentioned Inception and the Matrix as other iterations of this movie. But none of them, including this movie, are an wholly original product. Mind bending and losing grip on reality type stories have been around for a long time. The difference here being the technological spin and distrust of alternative realities such a video games and virtual reality. 

9. Stunt Coordination

Nothing particular stands out for stunts and in fact some of it feel rather cheesy (perhaps intentionally to try to sell the audience on always questioning the reality they are seeing). 

10. Direction

Cronenberg being the writer, director and producer clearly gives the film a good bit of cohesion in vision and execution. His reputation was likely a big part of minimizing outside influence and the film definitely isn't pandering to its audience. In fact, it may be hostile to its audience in some ways, daring them to question reality, technology, and human tendencies toward inflicting harm upon ourselves.

Legacy/Final Thoughts

This may not be Cronenberg's most acclaimed or recognizable work, but it felt like a good entry point. I was pleasantly surprised with where the film went and its central themes. I also see its fingerprints in other movies that came after it, though some don't specifically reference it as inspiration. Unfortunately, the film's legacy is mostly lost in obscurity at this point and is relinquished to niche fans of body/horror and Cronenberg's filmography.