Review by Frank Plowright
Only one of David Croneberg’s 22 films is ranked lower than 65% on the Rotten Tomato rankings, with 1999’s eXistenZ polling a full ten percent higher via the critic’s consensus. It’s unlikely Sean Scoffield’s adaptation would hit the same heights.
Cronenberg’s films are all thoughtfully disturbing and atmospheric, and in the world created for eXistenZ game creators are celebrities, and Allegra Geller ranks near the top. eXistenZ is her latest creation, a program that jacks directly into a spinal port and the experience is different for each player, dependent on their personality. The new game is experimental, and what hasn’t been foreseen is that at the launch someone would attempt to assassinate Allegra. She has to hide out and attempt to discover why she’s become a target.
Although largely unknown in comics, Scoffield’s subsequent film and TV work as an Art Director indicates his talent, and that this is an officially sanctioned adaptation is apparent from the skilled portrait of actor Christopher Eccleston on the opening page. Likenesses of the cast are permitted, and although heavily photo referenced, Scoffield delivers these well. What he’s not as good at is telling a story. He’s a slave to the reference material, which leads to stiffly posed people, and panel after panel contains a close-up likeness and plenty of surrounding shadow.
Cronenberg perpetuates the mystery of who might want to kill Allegra, the solution to which might lie in the game she’s designed, so she and her companion Pikul have to enter it. The concept of eXistenZ shifting personal realities is a complex one to follow, and not made easier by Scoffield’s lack of effort in creating the trappings of alternate scenarios. Under his hands the film’s well conceived final scene is reduced to a succession of talking heads.
In the course of an interview after the story Cronenberg explains his intention to explore levels of reality, and perhaps it’s best if we stick with the imaginative film and assume the dull graphic novel is just an alternate manifestation of reality.
