Strange Days
Strange Days succeeds in an area where most movies, especially action films, fail. It is able to draw the viewers in emotionally and make them watch, whether they like it or not. I didn't like some of the violent acts depicted, but when the plot is revealed you realize that you aren't supposed to like it. I enjoyed the film immensely because of this fact. Normally, we are supposed to watch violent action scenes and not care that innocent people are killed, and yet human nature contradicts this opinion. Strange Days shows the side that moviegoers want to see, where an innocent person is killed for no apparent reason, and we sense the emotional blow as it hits the main character.
The main character in this film is Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes), an underground drug dealer, but instead of selling normal drugs, he sells mind drugs. These mind drugs are illegal to possess and use, but no one can stop it from being sold. The drug isn't necessarily a drug as it is an addictive substance, a fetish. The drug is a clip on a CD with the experiences of one person. It is called "playback" which allows someone else with totally different morals (such as a lawyer who doesn't believe in crime) to plug into someone else's experience. These other experiences can be whatever you want, whether it be you want to rob a bank, or sleep with five women. And you can do it all from your home.
This device, which fits on top of the head and can then be covered up with a wig, records everything it's wearer sees. The device plugs into the user's cerebral cortex, recording all the emotions and senses, and then it relays that information into a recorder. These CDs contain all the information, and can be sold to anyone willing to try it. This futuristic device is the main plot device used in the film. Nero gains possession of a CD which depicts violent acts of murder and rape. The act depicted is one that shocks the audience and requires us to think instead of go along for the ride. We see someone climb into another apartment and then the person proceeds to handcuff a woman to a towel rod. This victim is forced to wear one of the devices which the killer then plugs into his own recorder, giving her the ability to see what the killer sees. Because of this, the shock is increased as we realize that she witnesses her own death.
Strange Days, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, is an amazing film; technically and emotionally well made. The cinematographer, Matthew F. Leonetti, uses amazing photography to capture the realism of the playback. The camera acts as the wearer's eyes and it moves up and down and side to side. It has a free range of motion and the playbacks are usually edited in one single cut, giving it the realism of someone recording an event. In one remarkable scene at the beginning of the film, we see a robber put pantyhose over his face (which we don't see because the camera is, in fact, his face) and then he runs into a store with two of his buddies. A chase occurs as the police show up, and the continuous shot of the playback shows the wearer running to the roof and jumping over to another building. He falls short, but grabs onto the edge of the building. He then falls six stories to his death. This scene shows the technical brilliance of Strange Days within five minutes. No cutting was done, and the photography is very impressive.
The story is the biggest fault lying in Strange Days. While it is very intriguing, the outcome of everything seems like a letdown and a cheap giveaway. I would have loved to see the film take another big risk and come out differently. But I'm not going to say how I wanted it to end because it would ruin the ending of the film. James Cameron and Jay Cocks wrote the screenplay, and it is extremely effective. The dialogue is smart and often funny, and the plot has several twists. Cameron (who has written such films as Terminator 2) wrote the story, and I wonder why he didn't direct it. Maybe that's because Bigelow would have done a better job. While Cameron is a great director, Bigelow has used many conventions of cinema to portray a terrific and terrifying concept. Would the film have been different without her? Of course, and it probably wouldn't have been nearly as effective (and I, in no way, accuse men of being the downfall of plot and the rise of senseless action). There are many other flaws I found, including the length of the film which seemed to be dragging on. While it is essential, there were moments I saw that I figure they could have cut out.
The best thing about the film is the design, quality of filmmaking, and the acting. The sets are amazing and seem perfect for a futuristic movie. The film is set in 1999, and this allows Bigelow to design sets that aren't too different from ours now, but also include some inventive ideas, especially the playback device. Along with the set is the filmmaking and the overall style used. The cinematography is great and the editing is extremely well done. The acting is one of the key pieces of the film, and with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Lewis, you can't really go wrong. The acting is terrific, especially Angela Bassett who gives a wonderful performance as Nero's good friend. Fiennes is still terrific and his character isn't just the normal hero because his character is flawed (it reminds me of Liam Neeson's performance in Schindler's List), and Lewis is very good. Tom Sizemore has a key role and portrays Nero's ex-cop buddy very well. And Brigitte Bako and Glenn Plummer do very well as Iris and Jeriko One. And David Carrera (if that is who it is) gives a scene stealing performance as a nervous lawyer trying the device for the first time.
Strange Days is rated R for intense disturbing violence, sexuality, nudity, and strong pervasive language. Kathryn Bigelow has managed to mix emotions and action together to provide fabulous entertainment, something most directors can only dream about. The screenplay is smart and confusing, and the mood around the film almost makes you feel like you have to watch it. You have to admire a movie that exploits the defects of humor nature, and the slogan for the film said it best: "You know you want it."