Brainscan ** (1994, Edward Furlong, Frank Langella, T Ryder Smith, Amy Hargreaves, Jamie Marsh) – Classic Movie Review 5607

Director John Flynn’s 1994 movie is a minor-league sci-fi/horror thriller in which horror buff teenager Michael Brower (Edward Furlong, from Terminator 2: Judgment Day) commits simulated murder on his new interactive computer game called Brainscan. He then finds it takes on a horrific reality as his nightmare of murdering a stranger comes true when a severed foot appears in his fridge.

After he mysteriously receives a second virtual-reality game, he is determined not to play, but the devilish Trickster (T Ryder Smith) is determined to keep him in the game.

As a premise, it is quite tough and tacky. But Flynn’s chiller film is surprisingly tentative and restrained in its execution. More gory horror effects would help to give it some attack.

Talented and likeable Furlong and Frank Langella as the cop, Detective Hayden, are just OK here, but they give subdued performances and you would expect them to be more animated. However, Smith is nice and creepy, and Jamie Marsh is quite funny as Furlong’s daft buddy.

Also in the cast are Amy Hargreaves, Victor Ertmanis, David Hemblen, Vlasta Vrana, Domineco Fiore, Claire Riley and Tod Fennell.

The screenplay is by Andrew Kevin Walker, from a story by Brian Owens.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5607

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