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Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Ian Holm, Don McKellar ... see more see more... , Callum Keith Rennie , Sarah Polley , Christopher Eccleston

Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg, who has long been fascinated by the ways new technology shapes and manipulates the human beings who believe they are its masters, is in familiar territory with eXi... read more read more...stenZ, a futuristic thriller which combines elements of science fiction, horror and action-adventure. What is eXistenZ? According to the glossary Cronenberg put together for this film, it is a new organic game system that, when downloaded into humans, accesses their central nervous system, transporting them on a wild ride in and out of reality. What's more, it changes every time it is played, by adapting to the individual user -- you have to play the game to find out why you are playing the game. More than one person can plug into the same game and set out on a series of bizarre and surrealistic adventures together. The narrative takes place sometime in the near future, when game designers are worshipped as superstars and players can organically enter inside the games. Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the goddess among computer game designers whose latest invention, 'eXistenZ,' taps deeply into its users' fears and desires by blurring the boundaries between reality and escapism, is subject to an assassination attempt and forced to flee. Her sole ally is Ted Pikul (Jude Law), a novice security guard sworn to protect her. Persuading Ted to play the game, Allegra draws them both into a phantasmagoric world where existence ends and eXistenZ begins. Jennifer Jason Leigh, who is supposedly something of a computer nerd in real life, is hip and sexily alluring as Allegra Geller. When she and Pikul make love and are transported to the bizarre setting of a trout farm which has been converted to an assembly line production plant for games, they delve deeper into the dangerously intriguing game. Soon the forces of Anti-eXistenZialism will close in on Pikul and Allegra. eXistenZ marks the first time since Videodrome that Cronenberg has written a completely original screenplay. eXistenZ was inspired by the tribulations of the fugitive writer Salman Rushdie, author of the Satanic Verses. After interviewing the author for a magazine article in 1995, Cronenberg was struck with the idea of an artist who suddenly finds himself on a hit list for religious or philosophical reasons and is forced to go into hiding. The idea of a game came later on, for which he created a new vocabulary. According to Cronenberg, eXistenZ thematically connects to Crash, Videodrome, Naked Lunch and even M. Butterfly in terms of exploring the extent to which we create our own levels of reality and the idea of a creative act being dangerous to the creator. This is the second film on which Alliance Atlantis has been associated with Cronenberg, after Crash, which won the Special Jury Prize at the 1996 International Cannes Film Festival. On the occasion of the presentation of eXistenZ, Cronenberg received a Silver Bear for his outstanding artistic achievements at the 49th International Berlin Film Festival in 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi

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71% liked it

63 critics

R, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: David Cronenberg

Release Date: April 23, 1999

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DVD Release Date: October 19, 1999

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Stats: 2,205 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,205)

  • brooklynspo
    June 11, 2009
    brooklynspo
    My impression was that eXistenZ was a kinda flat movie version of a good original screenplay. Not great - but there is definitely some good stuff in here as Cronenberg messes with with ideas of reality, role playing and film making..
  • paulkoh110
    February 11, 2012
    paulkoh110
    All hail Existenz! Its not Cronenberg's best but its a fun twisted watch.
  • moonrivers
    October 16, 2011
    moonrivers
    No characters, no real story, only the layered platform for Cronenberg's question, namely: who are we if we continue to blur the lines between fantasy (in this case a computer game) and reality? A timely question perhaps, but dully realised. Jude Law's fight to sound American s... read moretruck me as a more entertaining.
  • blkbomb
    August 29, 2011
    blkbomb
    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? 

    "Where does reality stop... And the game begin."

    God, I have no idea whether I liked eXistenZ or not. I'm probably overrating it a bit. It's not a... read more good movie by any stretch of the imagination. The whole movie is a big question, are we in the game or aren't we? There's something annoying about this concept. With that said, that's also the sole reason I did find enjoyment in the movie. It was pretty fun to watch because of this, but still annoying to think about at the same time.

    The cast should have been awesome, but no one really performs up to their potential. In fact, it's the worst I've ever seen Law and Leigh. Even giving his worst performance in my opinion; Jude Law is still average in the film. But Leigh was horrible. I was shocked at just how bad she was, but to be fair I think she was totally miscast in this movie. 

    It's just an odd movie all the way around. I want to love it, but can't. Then when I think about how the movie plays out, I should hate it, but I can't. I'll just say I was entertained by it and it was at least an interesting movie, even if that's all it is. 
  • stevenecarrier
    August 9, 2011
    stevenecarrier
    What a completely odd little movie. Normally I hate these sort of puzzle films. By design they are not satisfying and abnormally tricky. I don't think you should have the intention of purposefully misleading and alienateing your audience when making a film. However, "eXistenZ" is... read more a film that is so confident in it's vision and existential theme that the idea of 'misleading' is inherent in it's set up. Feeling 'mislead' by David Cronenberg's film is good here because it enhances the story. It's something naturally found when exploring existentialism. With films like "Inception," which inorganically creates the plot twists, "eXistenZ" finds them naturally in it's narrative. It also helps that the film does not take itself too seriously. Cronenberg's sick sense of humor is all over this film. As for mind bending science-fiction you can do a lot worse than 'eXistenZ" but you can also do a lot better. The film never dares to be risky enough. However, if it did dig deeper it would run the risk of totally collapsing so maybe what we are left with is the best possible outcome. Sure the film may look and feel dated but it's worth a watch for it's oddball sexualized imagery and humor and it's just flat out bizarre premise of blurring the line between the solid and the porous with reality and unreality.
  • LoughnerWasLucid
    July 28, 2011
    LoughnerWasLucid
    Ground-breaking sci-fi drama that paved the way for such films as the Matrix, Gamer, and Tron. i actually remember a George Lucas quote from the 70's where he said, "well when i was filming THX!#128JK7$ i was a bit nervous because this was my first film you see, and i was worried... read more about the budget and my producer, Tom, he said i should just do like they did in ExistenZ! and im all like, 'Tom, that's perfect!' and so we went to Spencer's and bought all these cool rubber cockroaches that bleed when you squeeze this tube thingie and so thats basically how we did the special effects and the movie cost us about 9.95 to make, and you know, the nasty, dead, bloody bugs from ExistenZ were such a great influence on us at the time cause like, no-one was doing it. anyway, im writing a screenplay now for a film called Space Battle and i've been watching alot of Cronenberg lately. i really like I Am Number Four as well... heavy shit."
  • kenstachnik
    June 25, 2011
    kenstachnik
    This feels like the cheapest of Cronenberg's movies. While it's not great, it does have some uniquely Cronenbergian moments.
  • rezpatriot
    September 17, 2010
    rezpatriot
    Bordering modern B-movie due to its A quality acting ( joking) but the theme is, how do you say? Typical Cronenberg but the movie, if not very entertaining or convincing, will deliver a shudder of paranoia and keep you watching. If you liked this then you might like Gattaca or Ga... read moremer.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    July 31, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    eXistenZ is a fine return to form from David Cronenberg. It's a film that takes the best parts of his weirdest films of the 80's and puts it into a new kind of film. Existenz is a film that tests the boarders of reality and is a reflection of existentialism, and in the eyes of Da... read morevid Cronenberg, it brings the film to a whole new level of weird. Existenz is a film thats shocks you, and plays tricks on your mind. In the end you will ask yourself several questions. A terrific cast compliments this terrific story and this film is yet another David Cronenberg classic in the making. A film to shock and twist your senses, eXistenZ is a winner
  • ythelastman89
    November 27, 2009
    ythelastman89
    An interesting idea that never got appreciation due to The Matrix. It's actually a lot more fun and has a better story. Jude Law, Willem Dafoe and Jennifer Jason Leigh gave a lot better performances. It is just a fun bizarre movie that should be seen by any fan of Cronenberg

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Critic Reviews

Andrew Sarris
April 27, 2007
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

I just don't happen to like puzzle films of any kind, but I must credit Mr. Cronenberg with more intellectual depth than most of his fellow pessimistic movie pranksters. Full Review

Jeff Millar
July 21, 2005
Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle

It's good art direction in search of an idea. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
February 14, 2001
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

Jennifer Jason Leigh is an ideal Cronenberg heroine, projecting a personality that is smart, wary and capable of obsessiveness. Full Review

Bob Graham
January 1, 2000
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle

This darkly sexual sci-fi horror variant by Cronenberg makes The Matrix look like child's play. Full Review

Janet Maslin
January 1, 2000
Janet Maslin, New York Times

[It's] meant to have a whiff of the philosophical, even if its intellectual ambition seems mostly limited to spelling affectations. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The Matrix is mainstream sci-fi, but eXistenZ, written by Cronenberg, is much stranger; it creates a world where organic and inorganic are not separate states, but kind of chummy. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Because of the potential of the idea and Cronenberg's reputation as a film maker, it's a real disappointment to watch eXistenZ fall apart the way it does. Full Review

Craig Seligman
January 1, 2000
Craig Seligman, Salon.com

It's a pleasure to find the brooding Cronenberg turning out a trifle, even if it's a dark trifle. Full Review

Jim Lane
August 7, 2008
Jim Lane, Sacramento News & Review

It's a disturbing, disorienting sensation -- puzzles within puzzles, games within games -- that continues right up to the last shot. Full Review

Rob Humanick
October 25, 2007
Rob Humanick, Projection Booth

Experienced gamers should find much to savor through the films unique assessments on the nature of reality. Full Review

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eXistenZ Trivia

  • I've been a robot on the run, a legendary womaniser, i got chilly up a big hill, i became part of existenz, had my identity stolen twice and gotten fairly close to people. Who am I?  Answer »
  • Where do you plug in the console to play "Existenz"?  Answer »
  • In the movie 'eXistenZ', where is the bioport that enables games to be plugged in located?  Answer »
  • Which sci-fi film stars Jude Law and Ian Holm ?  Answer »
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