eXistenZ

I remembering seeing this when it first came out on video, wow video, that brings back memories, anyway i remember seeing this and liking it, but not really knowing why or fully understanding it.
And after watching ti again i still kinda like it but not sure i fully know why. I understand it a little more now, it's a commentary on the state of technology and in particular video games and how people are becoming more and more immersed in them.

Or its an analogy for anal sex! not sure which, now most people will choose the former as its a little more obvious but if inserting a fleshy, organic tube into a 'port' in the base of your spine isn't an analogy for anal sex then i don't know what is.
But that is Cronenburg and his fascination with body horror, a director who seems to push the boundaries of what he can and cant put in his movies. Crash and The Fly come to mind.
But as a commentary on the influence of video games the movie shows how people can just become totally immersed and far too involved in these games and the consequences there-in.

The story begins with a focus group testing a new video game. The developer of the game Allegra Geller, Jennifer Jason Leigh, is attacked, must escape and hide along with Ted Pikul, Jude Law.
They soon get caught up in a plot to assassinate Allegra while also playing the new game, eXistenZ, to ensure the game is working.

Allegra: "The only way i can tell if everything is ok is to play eXistenZ with somebody friendly.

Are you friendly, or are you not?"

 They become enveloped in the game which soon spirals out of control and leads them into situation that are out of character for Pikul in particular.
Pikul is new to gaming and nervous about having the bio-port installed in the first place as well as being quite uncomfortable while playing the game itself.
Both leads, and Jude Law in particular, are very good in this mind-bending story, and Law's American accent is flawless.

Its hard to talk about this with spoiling parts so if you have not seen it, do not read on.
Within the game, eXistenZ things soon spiral out of control and they find themselves on the run again after killing Chinese waiter with a chicken bone gun that fires human teeth instead of bullets.
It all comes to conclusion after several betrayals and double crosses, with with Allegra killing Pikul.
But not the end, in a further twist all the main characters wake up in a different focus group testing a different game.They begin discussing 'the game' they have just taken part in, in their proper accents i might add and the final twist, Jude Law and Jennifer Jason's charter kill the game developer, mirroring the game!

The movie features a great supporting cast including Christopher Eccelston, who gets far too little time, William Defoe as the slightly eccentric Gas and Ian Holm, who is always reliable.

This movie draws Matrix comparisons due to the content and the fact that they came out the same year, but now it can be compared more with Inception.

Still its a great movie and Cronenburg's direction is superb, the effects are solid and the body horror/gore elements while gruesome are never overdone or off putting.
Recommended for fans of Cronenburg and those who enjoy movies that require a bit more to the plots.

7/10