“I want room service!” —Johnny
Today’s quick review: Johnny Mnemonic. In the high-tech future of 2021, Johnny (Keanu Reeves) works as a “mnemonic courier” who smuggles sensitive data using implants in his brain. Desperate for enough cash to get out of the business, Johnny takes a risky job that requires twice his maximum storage capacity. Now Johnny has only days to deliver the data before it fries his brain, a task made more complicated by the yakuza who want what’s in his head.
Johnny Mnemonic is a cyberpunk thriller based on a short story by William Gibson. Johnny Mnemonic takes place in a dark future where corporations rule, wars are fought digitally, and technology eats away at humanity through a degenerative neurological disorder. The film features a briskly paced plot, an elaborate cyberpunk world, and a skewed 90s attitude. Its cast includes Dina Meyer, Ice-T, Dolph Lundgren, Takeshi Kitano, and Henry Rollins.
Johnny Mnemonic has the over-the-top attitude typical of 90s sci-fi. Its action is fairly gory, its plot hits most of the right beats, and it trades character development for faster pacing. The film has a few rough spots. Its vision of the future hasn’t aged gracefully. Its dialogue is hit-or-miss, and there are a couple of memorable instances of overacting. The whole package is rounded out with tacky CGI and an outlandish portrayal of computers.
Johnny Mnemonic occupies a cinematic grey area: too weak to stand solely on its merits, too entertaining to dismiss completely, and split almost evenly between straight-faced dystopian cyberbpunk and tongue-in-cheek excess. For the right kind of viewer, one who relishes 90s sci-fi and doesn’t take the film too seriously, it can be a fun watch. But those looking for either a serious sci-fi action film or a true comedy should look elsewhere.
For a movie that handles the technological aspects of the setting with more credibility, check out The Matrix or one of the Ghost in the Shell adaptations. For a similar flavor of action, check out Escape from New York. For a dedicated sci-fi comedy with greater charm, check out The Fifth Element.
5.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for a mixture of decent sci-fi and camp.