Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

A data courier, literally carrying a data package inside his head, must deliver it before he dies from the burden or is killed by the Yakuza.

Director:

Robert Longo

Writers:

William Gibson (screenplay), William Gibson (short story)

Stars:

Keanu Reeves, Dolph Lundgren, Dina Meyer

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Keanu Reeves	...	Johnny Mnemonic
Dina Meyer	...	Jane
Ice-T	...	J-Bone
Takeshi Kitano	...	Takahashi (as Takeshi)
Denis Akiyama	...	Shinji
Dolph Lundgren	...	Street Preacher
Henry Rollins	...	Spider
Barbara Sukowa	...	Anna Kalmann
Udo Kier	...	Ralfi
Tracy Tweed	...	Pretty
Falconer Abraham	...	Yomamma
Don Francks	...	Hooky
Diego Chambers	...	Henson
Sherry Miller	...	Takahashi's Secretary
Arthur Eng	...	Viet

Storyline

In 2021, the whole world is connected by the gigantic Internet, and almost a half of the population is suffering from the Nerve Attenuation Syndrome (NAS).Johnny with an inplanted memory chip in his brain was ordered to transport the over loaded information from Beijing to Newark. While Pharmakom Industries supported by yakuza tries to capture him to get the informaiton back, the Low-tech group led by J-Bone tries to break the missing code to download the cure of NAS which Johnny carries.

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Plot Keywords:

implanted memory | virtual reality | cyberspace | erased memory | based on story | 

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Taglines:

The danger is all in his head

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sci-fi violence, and for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was shot on-location in Canada, with Toronto and Montreal filling in for Newark, New Jersey and Beijing, China. Several local sites, including Toronto's Union Station, Montreal's skyline, and Jacques Cartier Bridge, feature prominently.

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Goofs

The subway tunnel seems abandoned: there's trash lying around the track and nobody else in the station. The tunnel lights and station lights might be lit because the Loteks want to make sure they can escape that way, but why are the signals still working?

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Quotes

Spider: Get on the table.
Johnny Mnemonic: Why?
Spider: Don't be a bigger asshole than you have to, get on the table.

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Alternate Versions

The Japanese version (director's cut) is rather different from the international re-edited cut. It runs ca. 10 minutes longer (the additional scenes focus mostly on Takeshi Kitano's character Takahashi), some additional scenes are intact whereas they were committed in the other version), in other scenes different camera angles were used. It also has a different score composed by Mychael Danna (Brad Fiedel was brought on later re-score the picture) and more violence.

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Connections

Featured in Gamesmaster: Episode #5.13 (1995)

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Soundtracks

NO MORE LOVE
Performed by God Lives Underwater
Written by Jeff Turzo and David Reilly
Published by World Seed Music / EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (BMI)
Produced by Gary Richards and God Lives Underwater
Engineered and Mixed by God Lives Underwater
Recorded at Perkiomenville, PA
Produced under license from Warner Bros. Records Inc.
p1995 American Recordings
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

I love any and all Sci-Fi anything.

I like this film. The ending was lame but most are in my opinion. I like Sci-Fi movies from the rubber suited aliens to the "control" lights flashing madly for no apparent reason except for effect. Let's face it, in any given year there are few Sci-Fi movies made. Look at the long lists of movies made and there might be a Sci-Fi movie amongst them. Horror does far better with at least three or four a year. Sci-Fi has been a subjective genre and will probably remain so. After all, the future-present seems so dull, mundane and exploited when you're living in it (planes, cars, tanks, computers, internet).

Specifically about this movie I like the stark opening on the Main Character. He desperately, angrily, wants the money to get his memories back and do it right. The perfect setup for the risk he decides to take. The exposition dialogue on this point could be better but it got the point across (again and again) what was at stake and why. He was so desperate that he was willing to risk his life to obtain HIS goal.

Then we have the usual introduction of characters and the running, fighting and hiding. Each step of the way he is always closer to getting that thing out of his head and renewing his childhood memories.

I agree with the other comments regarding the Main Character's desires whil e standing on a garbage heap and his life looks like garbage -- he will never live to enjoy his childhood again, nor the physical comforts he thinks he wants.

The lo-techs vs. the corporate is an old theme with maybe another angle. It sets the backdrop for the overall story, the good and the bad fighting for control. The corporate side I liked. The lo-tech side was the usual, nothing new.

What I liked about the corporate side was the ancient use of the god-like conscience represented by the woman in the computer. The one who nags the corporate head to help the lo-techs for his absolution in the memory of his dead daughter.

The god-like conscience character is rarely used in American drama, but heavily honored by Asians. I have always liked this dramatic element even when demonstrated in the classical Greek. How can we define good and evil when it is beyond our control and understanding? Thus is an Asian view, as well as the ancient world, of the meaning of life. The doll white face and the near obliteration of any human features just as in the face masks worn in the ancient Greek dramas or in the ancient art of Kabuki.

Like I said, I like all Sci-Fi. It is too rare. As I illustrated above there were plenty of good dramatic elements and shots to make the movie enjoyable. Even the lame stuff has its own entertainment… just as good as rubber suited aliens.

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

26 May 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fugitivo del futuro

Filming Locations:

95 Villiers St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$26,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,033,850, 28 May 1995

Gross USA:

$19,075,720

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$19,075,720

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Alliance Communications Corporation, Cinévision

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1