The rest, well, theyre somebodys favorite, anyway.
At that time, I think roughly two people on Earth genuinely liked this movie.
Ebert liked it for trying to do new things in familiar action movie territory.
I liked it because I was a dork that thrived on even the shittiest attempts to predict our future.
In 2024,Virtuosityis still a very bad movie that I love very much.
Generic sci-fi programmerVirtuositydoesnt have the same cult vivacity as one of the best Westerns youve probably never seen.
Nonetheless, 1995 was Crowes year to be an uncut diamond in the American rough.
Even so, Washington is still stuck here with a generic Redeemable Hero Cop yarn.
Its a pedestrian setup that gives a good villain a chance to steal the show.
On paper, the AI called SID 6.7 shouldnt be a good villain.
Hes flat and suffers from generic dialogue and the usual violent snarls and swear words.
Just like SID wants.
Two showpieces remain in the viewers memory, too, long after the rest of the film fades.
The first is a twist on the obligatory prison escape.
Hence in a nightclub sequence, Sid puts together a synthesized orchestra of terror.
(Seriously, if you pull up just one scene on YouTube, make it this one!)
Crowe channels the sort of over-the-top wicked cultured villainy rarely found outside of a Vincent Price performance.
Its also where he gets that natty suit.
You canfeelthe words Are you not entertained?!
already resonating inside this guy.
Is it fantastically watchable?
Oh my God, yes.
His secret lusts are plain in SIDs design.
And we cant say we werent warned.
They are what we make them, and we are flawed.
Virtuosityis an accident of cinema made watchable by Crowes irrepressible charisma thrown against Washingtons stoic straight man act.
For futurist wonks and silly action fans,Virtuosityremains worth a watch.
