YOU HAVE TO PLAY THE GAME TO FIND OUT WHY YOU’RE PLAYING THE GAME.
Writer/director David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ is ostensibly his science fiction-y take on video games. However, the Canadian auteur has never been one to tackle subjects in a straightforward or conventional manner. Grotesque and unsettling, the film wields Cronenberg’s New Flesh aesthetic while tapping into age-old mind-bending philosophical questions about the nature of reality, all viewed through a subtly dystopic and stylized lens. It was released on April 23rd, 1999, so let’s take a look back at the film’s 25th anniversary!
In the near future, excited gamers have gathered at a secluded compound for the unveiling of a paradigm-shifting new game and system. This being a Cronenberg film, the console is composed of bioengineered flesh and bone and is seemingly alive. Participants access the system through what looks like an umbilical cord jacked into a surgically created orifice called a “bio-port” at the base of their spines. The game is played within the users' minds, creating a virtual reality that is nearly indistinguishable from the real world.
It is this aspect that has led some people to feel that the game is a threat to humanity’s ability to discern truth from fiction. Assassination attempts are made, corporate espionage is employed, and motivations become murkier and murkier, as the lines between reality and virtual reality are challenged and thrown into doubt. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays the lead as spunky genius game designer Allegra Geller. Jude Law costars as Ted Pikul, a corporate public relations minion with reservations about the biological nature of the gaming system. We also get Ian Holm, Willem Dafoe, Christopher Eccleston, and Sarah Polley.
Performances are great, with Leigh and Law sharing great chemistry and totally selling the fantastical material. Cronenberg’s script drops you right into this bizarre world with no apologies, making the opening feel a little silly. However, it’s not long before his commitment to the concept, the somber mood, and his masterful execution of the material forces you to both engage with the surface-level action and grapple with the philosophical subtext. My favorite moment might be when Pikul is grappling with the uncertain objectives of the game, but he basically just describes the frightening nature of our real world. It’s a darkly comic moment, but also disquieting.
Though there is some CGI here and there, most of the effects are thankfully practical. The creature work is well done, with the various mutated specimens appearing convincingly repulsive. There’s also some graphic gore, which is always a plus in my book. The bio-ports are anal in appearance and Cronenberg gleefully invokes strange sexual imagery. My favorite prop has to be the disgusting gun that fires human teeth.
Peter Suschitzky’s camerawork provides a clear window into this queasy off-kilter world. Despite featuring some brain-twisting concepts and grotesque visuals, we can easily follow along with his unflinching approach. It’s not flashy, but there are definitely some creative flourishes. I particularly enjoyed the use of obvious rear projection in the driving scenes, which plays into the theme of questioning the ultimate reality of what we’re seeing. Ronald Sanders’ editing assists here, as well, seamlessly blending the transitions into the game world, subtly echoing what the characters themselves experience.
The film asks big questions and invites you to doubt everything you see. Comparisons to THE MATRIX, which came out the same year, are apt, but this isn’t an action film. This is a much grittier and grounded piece, though it’s also more surreal in a way. Mining inspiration from the fatwa on Salman Rushdie after interviewing him, Cronenberg’s portrayal of the ideologies of his story feels authentic, adding an additional layer of allegory. To top it off, Howard Shore, one of the best composers of this era, provides the ominous and dread-inducing score.
David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ doesn’t seem to be as fondly remembered as some of his other genre classics, but I love it and feel it makes an excellent companion piece to his Videodrome and Naked Lunch. For my revisit, I checked out Vinegar Syndrome’s new 4k release, and it provides a beautiful presentation. Off-putting, but in the best possible way, and smart, it comes highly recommended for fans of body horror, questioning reality, and near-future dystopias.
Michael Cavender