Where to watch Johnny Mnemonic
2 Stars
In 2021, the whole world is connected by the gigantic Internet, and almost a half of the population is suffering from the Nerve Attenuation Syndrome (NAS).Johnny with an implanted memory chip in his brain was ordered to transport the over loaded information from Beijing to Newark. While Pharmakom Industries supported by Yakuza tries to capture him to get the information back, the Low-tech group led by J-Bone tries to break the missing code to download the cure of NAS which Johnny carries.
Film studios have focused on remaking movies for the past twenty years. The issue is that they often choose ‘good’ films to update with current visual effects and modern audience sensibilities. This combination of unnecessary rethinking has led to the failure of big-budget remakes like ‘Total Recall’, ‘Conan the Barbarian’, ‘Rollerball’, and ‘Point Break’, to name just a few cinematic casualties. So why not revisit movies that were near misses—films with intriguing concepts that were mishandled during production? ‘Johnny Mnemonic’ is a prime candidate for a new-age reboot. In fact, Keanu Reeves and much of the original cast are still active and presumably available.
‘Johnny Mnemonic’, ‘Chain Reaction’, and ‘Feeling Minnesota’ make up the lost trilogy in Keanu Reeves’s filmography. After the box-office success of ‘Speed’, Reeves was humbled by the flop of ‘Johnny Mnemonic’. The film’s marketing struggles, along with rumors of a troubled production, limited screen time for Dolph Lundgren (who is second-billed), and lackluster action scenes all contributed to poor word-of-mouth and a shortened theatrical run during the summer of 1995.
‘Johnny Mnemonic’ is an intriguing case of a movie that was ahead of its time, as films involving the internet and cyber worlds started to emerge in 1995. Movies like ‘The Net’ and ‘Hackers’ also explored similar themes, hinting at a forthcoming digital age. ‘Johnny Mnemonic’ begins with a compelling premise for its main character and introduces a villain that feels like he came straight from ‘Robocop 3’. However, the plot becomes less engaging as it reveals its limited scope through mediocre set designs, costumes, and action choreography. Robert Longo’s direction is subpar, often relying on static shots with few dynamic movements. Overall, ‘Johnny Mnemonic’ stands out as an oddity for fans of William Gibson, Reeves, Lundgren, and the sci-fi genre.
Directed by: Robert Longo
Written by: William Gibson
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Dolph Lundgren, Dina Meyer