The Lawnmower Man (1992)

Virtual reality is the future, but buyer beware!  VR will be man's saving grace, bestowing piece and prosperity throughout the world.  At the same time however, while it delivers happiness to kids with abusive fathers, it can also turn dumbasses into psychotic geniuses!  And that's not all; just when you thought all they can do is mow a lawn, now they can control the lawn mower AND your mind!  Get virtual reality TODAY!

This pitch was obviously not the intention of the filmmakers, but I still summarized as much from the odd Sci-Fi flick.  Lauded for having effects beyond its time (?), The Lawnmower Man is a mostly nonsensical but decently entertaining follow-up to the revolution that was Terminator 2.  It packs similar music, a unique fantasy concept, new (albeit wannabe) visuals, and to the best of its ability emulates the same cold and blue design, and character archetypes including obsessed scientists and unreliable kids.  Others may notice a bit of Cronenberg here, with obsessions becoming perversions and biological horror running amok.  

What this flick really intends to do is provide a showcase for it's "exemplary" special effects.  Now this film is 20 years old, right when CGI was beginning to rear its beautiful/despicable little head, but the visuals do not assist in keeping one engaged and grounded in this ridiculous story. 

All this aside, I couldn't help but be slightly entertained by this film.  The bizarre and unique plot took me by surprise, even with the clear crutch holding on other films and filmmakers.  Jeff Fahey and Pierce Brosnan deliver somewhere between conscious fun and unconscious seriousness, but nonetheless give engaging performances, with the former truly surprising as a developmentally disabled gardener whom Brosnan's doctor takes pity on, leading to his using virtual reality to learn (it’s the FUTURE).  While the visuals are weak, they are unique as well; I don't think I've ever seen the like in a film before (though maybe in an early 2000's kid show...) 

Initially I expected to forget this film quickly, yet here I am still thinking about it days later.  While The Lawnmower Man could be worthwhile for genre fans, it's certainly nothing to miss an episode of Breaking Bad over.  

 

Tidbit:  Produced on a budget of $6,000,000 (see "exemplary" special effects), with reported returns of $200,000,000 worldwide... now I know why there's a sequel. 

Drink of Choice:  Virtual Reality; what else?! Mix 1 1/3oz Gin, 2/3oz Calvados, 1/3oz Grenadine, and 1/3oz Lemon Juice, drink, and watch the VR bees fly!

Or you could just mix some Vodka with blue food coloring; just like this movie, kinda looks cool, but is it?