The wackiest aspect about Virtuosity (1995) is that SID 6.0 (Russell Crowe), a deadly computer program for virtual police training, is a composite of 183 serial killers. Only 183? It’s a bit like the number of multi-verses in The One – it could be a round number like 200, but that’s too neat. 183 sounds believable! Merging the twin fascinations of the 1990s – serial killers and VR – Virtuosity doesn’t really do much with this high concept idea, except for the fact that one of the composite identities is the terrorist who killed the family of ex-cop now prisoner (Denzel Washington) – this time it’s personal between me and that humanoid program! With SID birthed out of a computer due to an evil nerd, running around killing people in future-LA and just generally feeling himself (strutting in a blue suit and shades to ‘Staying Alive’), Denzel is pardoned to hunt down this psycho simulation. Even though SID has 183 identities swirling around in there, the main influences for Crowe’s performance seem to be Hannibal Lecter, HAL-9000 and Bugs Bunny. This is a R-rated action thriller with some nasty violence, and is definitely a product of its era. The most memorable parts are the weird VR touches like Crowe composing music out of human screams while taking a night club hostage or having to chomp down on glass to regenerate hacked off limbs, dribbling aqua coloured goo down his mouth. It’s all a mish mash of Terminator 2 meets Demolition Man but from the director of The Lawnmower Man, Brett Leonard. Denzel is serious and committed, but could do this role in his sleep; he’s more interesting at the start when he’s either wearing a blue leather uniform in VR world or sporting dreadlocks as a prisoner. Meanwhile Crowe keeps rocking pastel colour suits, and chews a lot of scenery (when he’s not chomping down on the glass); fun fact: he filmed a music video for 30 Odd Foot Of Grunt while on set still in costume (‘The Photograph Kills’). Highlight of this watch was when Crowe has been physically generated and he struts around a lab naked. With his backside to the camera, he does a martial arts squat, and I’m pretty sure you can see his tackle drop down. Good supporting cast including Kelly Lynch, William Forsythe, William Fictner, Louise Fletcher. Though enjoyable enough as it was revisit, Virtuosity ranks low on my personal tour through cyber cinema, well behind Lawnmower Man and Johnny Mnenomic. Feels like I’ll always be rewatching this every ten years or so to appreciate that it’s basically okay.
VHS Tracking 