And so was "The Lawnmower Man," the 1992 sci-fi/horror cyber-thriller that came out one year after "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1991) blew open the door on the cinematic revolution for CGI special effects. Speaking of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "The Lawnmower Man," with its themes of out-of-control scientific progress and the physical/mental transcendence of humans into beings of pure electronic data, could very easily have been the next project for the techno-phobic James Cameron. Or maybe another one of his contemporaries, like David Cronenberg?
Who knows.
Either one of them probably would have been ideal for this film, but director Brett Leonard, despite some occasional missteps in his direction, is a capable presence behind the camera. Leonard, with co-screenwriter/producer Gimel Everett (from a short story of the same name by Stephen King, but the two works are unrelated and King sued to have his name removed from the project, and the film actually has more in common with the 1968 film "Charly"), have fashioned a cyber-thriller, that while it received mixed reviews upon its release, now seems ahead-of-its-time (or maybe it came out at the right time?), and would pre-figure ideas in science fiction, computer technology, and the mainstreaming of cyberpunk for pretty much the rest of the decade - "The Matrix" (1999) would pull all of it together just seven years later.
"The Lawnmower Man" was probably most-regarded at the time for its computer-generated visual effects (and was the first film ever to deal with the concept of virtual reality), which marked yet another major step in the progression of CGI effects in the early '90s after "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." But other aspects proved to be problematic, like its story and editing. So that's why this review is based on the unrated director's cut version, which seems like a more-fully-realized film production, like the kind of film that the filmmakers really wanted to release to the public in 1992.
In the film, Dr. Lawrence Angelo (Pierce Brosnan) is using experiments in virtual reality to enhance the intelligence of his primate test subjects. "The Shop," the malevolent corporate entity overseeing the project, wants to use Angelo's technology for war, while Angelo, whose humanitarian interests conflict with those of his employers, believes in the original intent of increasing the intelligence capabilities of the mind.
So far, all of his experiments with primates have failed, which is why he soon catches the attention of Jobe Smith (Jeff Fahey), the simple-minded, kind-hearted gardener who is a local fixture around town. Jobe agrees to become Dr. Angelo's newest test subject, but soon Jobe begins learning about the history of human civilization and new languages at an exponential rate. Eventually, along with his increased intelligence and comprehension, Jobe begins exhibiting astonishing superhuman mental abilities such as telepathy and telekinesis. Jobe, who is now a full-fledged superhuman psychopath, concludes that virtual reality has opened the door to the next stage of human evolution, and he's going to complete the process by transforming himself into a being of pure electronic energy.
"The Lawnmower Man" is a much-better film than I remember it, even though it's not perfect. Like I said earlier, its mainstay is its CGI effects, which are pretty laughable now but were state-of-the-art at the time. Yet, that is no reason to discount the film, its performances, or its complex themes about the role of technology in humanity's evolution. Pierce Brosnan is the film's human center and voice of reason in all this technological chaos (even if he is slightly mad himself), but Jeff Fahey, who often doesn't get the respect he deserves as an actor, is this film's real star. He's incredible as Jobe Smith. It's nice to see Jobe's progression from a simpleton to a superhuman genius - and we do sympathize with him to a degree, even if we know that ultimately he's supposed to become a monster the likes of which mankind has never seen before.
As a film that's rapidly approaching 25 years in age, I found myself nostalgic and wanting to go back to a far simpler time in the movies - yet to a time when the movies were definitely changing. "The Lawnmower Man" came out at the right time - because it was caught in the middle of Hollywood's gradual transition from practical effects to nearly all-CGI. It's an amazing film to watch on a Friday afternoon in early March.
8/10
P.S.: And don't worry about all the phones ringing in your house at the same time...
Who knows.
Either one of them probably would have been ideal for this film, but director Brett Leonard, despite some occasional missteps in his direction, is a capable presence behind the camera. Leonard, with co-screenwriter/producer Gimel Everett (from a short story of the same name by Stephen King, but the two works are unrelated and King sued to have his name removed from the project, and the film actually has more in common with the 1968 film "Charly"), have fashioned a cyber-thriller, that while it received mixed reviews upon its release, now seems ahead-of-its-time (or maybe it came out at the right time?), and would pre-figure ideas in science fiction, computer technology, and the mainstreaming of cyberpunk for pretty much the rest of the decade - "The Matrix" (1999) would pull all of it together just seven years later.
"The Lawnmower Man" was probably most-regarded at the time for its computer-generated visual effects (and was the first film ever to deal with the concept of virtual reality), which marked yet another major step in the progression of CGI effects in the early '90s after "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." But other aspects proved to be problematic, like its story and editing. So that's why this review is based on the unrated director's cut version, which seems like a more-fully-realized film production, like the kind of film that the filmmakers really wanted to release to the public in 1992.
In the film, Dr. Lawrence Angelo (Pierce Brosnan) is using experiments in virtual reality to enhance the intelligence of his primate test subjects. "The Shop," the malevolent corporate entity overseeing the project, wants to use Angelo's technology for war, while Angelo, whose humanitarian interests conflict with those of his employers, believes in the original intent of increasing the intelligence capabilities of the mind.
So far, all of his experiments with primates have failed, which is why he soon catches the attention of Jobe Smith (Jeff Fahey), the simple-minded, kind-hearted gardener who is a local fixture around town. Jobe agrees to become Dr. Angelo's newest test subject, but soon Jobe begins learning about the history of human civilization and new languages at an exponential rate. Eventually, along with his increased intelligence and comprehension, Jobe begins exhibiting astonishing superhuman mental abilities such as telepathy and telekinesis. Jobe, who is now a full-fledged superhuman psychopath, concludes that virtual reality has opened the door to the next stage of human evolution, and he's going to complete the process by transforming himself into a being of pure electronic energy.
"The Lawnmower Man" is a much-better film than I remember it, even though it's not perfect. Like I said earlier, its mainstay is its CGI effects, which are pretty laughable now but were state-of-the-art at the time. Yet, that is no reason to discount the film, its performances, or its complex themes about the role of technology in humanity's evolution. Pierce Brosnan is the film's human center and voice of reason in all this technological chaos (even if he is slightly mad himself), but Jeff Fahey, who often doesn't get the respect he deserves as an actor, is this film's real star. He's incredible as Jobe Smith. It's nice to see Jobe's progression from a simpleton to a superhuman genius - and we do sympathize with him to a degree, even if we know that ultimately he's supposed to become a monster the likes of which mankind has never seen before.
As a film that's rapidly approaching 25 years in age, I found myself nostalgic and wanting to go back to a far simpler time in the movies - yet to a time when the movies were definitely changing. "The Lawnmower Man" came out at the right time - because it was caught in the middle of Hollywood's gradual transition from practical effects to nearly all-CGI. It's an amazing film to watch on a Friday afternoon in early March.
8/10
P.S.: And don't worry about all the phones ringing in your house at the same time...