Cyberpunk Not - - New Rose Hotel
Genre: Drama
Grade = D-
Short synopsis of the story: two corporate espionage guys (Christopher Walken and William
Defoe) try to convince a genius Japanese high tech researcher and inventor to defect from his
present corporation (they just don’t appreciate him) and join another by using a singer/prostitute
(Asia Argento) to seduce him. The majority of the film follows their planning of the defection
and its engagement.
I should have paid more attention to the video box cover. “From the director of Bad Lieutenant and The King of New York,” it proudly exclaims. Both of these films were bad, even stupid at times. However, I rented it because it also stated that it was based on a short story by cyberpunk author William Gibson from his book Burning Chrome and it had actors Christopher Walken and William Defoe. Both of who I particularly like as they always choose interesting or off-center characters to play. However, even they just can’t save this film, neither did they particularly try.
Usually, I don’t write reviews on bad movies simply because I don’t want to waste my time doing so. However, this film was so rotten it actually pissed me off that I was cheated out of the money I paid to rent the thing. The characters’ dialog was flat, banal and uninspired. I was forced not only to endure Asia Argento’s stilted english, but her horrifying singing voice as well. The cinematography was bleached and looked like it was made in the seventies. The editing was appalling as they tried to add in some bad footage of Toyko to try and convince you that they were in Japan. Walken and Defoe’s performances were bland and they seemed to merely be walking through their roles. There was nothing high-tech or cyberpunk about the background of the film despite the origin of the story. The entire film was directionless, but worst of all, this movie broke my cardinal rule of film, it was BORING. From the beginning to the end nothing much happened that was of the least interest to me and probably anyone else.
AVOID THIS FILM.
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