Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

Johnny Mnemonic precedes The Matrix; Johnny is ur-Neo. Keanu Reeves is just as wooden an actor -- but he never could act, so what's the big deal? No, he doesn't have Sandra Bullock as a co-star -- but she can't act either, so what's the big deal? (The Net is way sucky as SF movies go.) Yes, this is chop-socky futuristic sci-fi -- not the most enlightened genre for character development and interpersonal nuance, so what's the big deal? And folks, cyberpunk is even further down the totem pole. Detractors, be gone!

But as a cyberpunk science-fiction movie circa 1995, this movie rocks. It's better than Tron (but not better than Blade Runner), blends disparate story elements, and has innovative special effects (like the fiery razor wire). Yes, the plot is leaden, but it soldiers on like a juggernaut; what more do you want (or can you expect) from cyberpunk sci-fi? This movie does a fine job with its material -- not stellar or scintillating like Blade Runner, but very well. Dolph Lundgren is particularly chilling as the unstoppable messianic-complex assassin who has to crucify everyone in his bloody path. If you like cyberpunk vixens and technofiction, then you could easily do worse (say, any Scharzenegger save the Terminator series). This is a seminal film and a keeper. Three stars.