Virtuosity (1995)

When a virtual reality simulation created using the personalities of multiple serial killers manages to escape into the real world, an ex-cop is tasked with stopping its reign of terror.

Director:

Brett Leonard

Writer:

Eric Bernt

Stars:

Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Kelly Lynch

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Denzel Washington	...	Lt. Parker Barnes
Kelly Lynch	...	Madison Carter
Russell Crowe	...	SID 6.7
Stephen Spinella	...	Lindenmeyer
William Forsythe	...	William Cochran
Louise Fletcher	...	Elizabeth Deane
William Fichtner	...	Wallace
Costas Mandylor	...	John Donovan
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Clyde Reilly
Kaley Cuoco	...	Karin Carter
Christopher Murray	...	Matthew Grimes
Heidi Schanz	...	Sheila 3.2
Traci Lords	...	Media Zone Singer
Gordon Jennison Noice	...	Big Red (as J. Gordon Noice)
Mari Morrow	...	Linda Barnes

Storyline

The Law Enforcement Technology Advancement Centre (LETAC) has developed SID version 6.7: a Sadistic, Intelligent, and Dangerous virtual reality entity which is synthesized from the personalities of more than 150 serial killers. LETAC would like to train police officers by putting them in VR with SID, but they must prove the concept by using prisoners as test subjects. One such prisoner is ex-cop Parker Barnes. When SID manages to inject his personality into a nano-machine android, it appears that Barnes might be the only one who can stop him.

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Plot Keywords:

serial killer | virtual reality | android | los angeles police department | artificial intelligence | 

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Taglines:

Justice needs a new program

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong futuristic violence, some brutal beatings and some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 August 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Asesino virtual

Filming Locations:

Harbor Freeway Station, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$24,048,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kaley Cuoco's film debut.

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Goofs

After Sid's hand is blown off by a security guard's shotgun in scene at the fight arena: He jumps the fence to escape the ring after he spots Barnes, and you can clearly see the fact that a 'hand' is still present by the way the actor (or stunt double) uses that hand to help hop the fence.

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Quotes

[first lines]
John Donovan: Oh, man. I can't get over how different we look.
Lt. Parker Barnes: Maybe it's the uniforms?
[they suddenly run off in pursuit]

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the credits when the producers thanks technology companies for providing tools, one tools is listed as HSC Kal's Power Tools. This is a typo, since the product is Kai's Power Tools. They typo is even archived in TCM's movie information database (http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/7915492%7C0/Hsc-Kal-S-Power-Tools-Bryce/)

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Alternate Versions

Despite the "Not under 18" rating, the German video version is heavily edited to reduce violence. The uncut version is available only on DVD (it was approved by the juristic commission of the Head Organization of the German film industry (SPIO)).

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Connections

Referenced in A Century of Black Cinema (2003)

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Soundtracks

Party Man
By Peter Gabriel, George Acogny & Tori Amos
Performed by The Worldbeaters & Peter Gabriel
Produced by Peter Gabriel & George Acogny
Peter Gabriel performs courtesy of Geffen Records/VIrgin Records Ltd.
The Worldbeaters performs courtesy of U. Groove Ltd.

User Reviews

Virtual reality hits Hollywood, but Hollywood should sue

So finally, after decades of futuristic scientists proclaiming that virtual reality will someday be here, it's here - sort of. Hollywood's always been a midwife for technology between the science industry and the common man, and in the area of virtual reality it's given us "Johhny Mnemonic" and this actioner, starring Denzel Washington.

Basic plot is this: The police have been using virtual reality as a training method, to test recruits. Before they use it on real cops, though, they draft crooks out of prison to act as guinea pigs. This is where Washington comes in. A former cop (how convenient), Washington's been rotting in jail for years. So the cops ask him to volunteer to be a part of the experiment, and of course he agrees - but the computer he's going to be downloaded into has other plans. The 'virtual' cops are supposed to face this tough criminal in the system, you see, but the computer's decided to combine all of the nasty characteristics of famous real-life killers - and then download itself into a real, sentient being (Russell Crowe). And of course it's up to our man Washington to save the day.

So there you have it, folks. It's a standard cops n robbers plot moved ahead a few centuries to take advantage of modern technology. Of course, it's set in the future, which here is portrayed as busy, grimy, a bit crime-riddled.. Hmm, a lot like the present, come to think of it, and not very inventive. And the effects are nothing special, either; you'd think with virtual reality being the centerpiece you'd see some dazzling special effects. Not really.

The cast is good, and Crowe turns in a solid (if a bit hammy, but most bad guys are, aren't they?) performance. Washington is no better or worse than usual, which means the real culprit is the script here. Do yourself a favor and wait for a two-for-one night at your video store to see this one.