The Lawnmower Man
THE LAWNMOWER MAN (15)
D: Brett Leonard
Allied Vision/Lane Pringle/Fuji Eight (Gimel
Everett)
US/UK 1992
108 mins
Science Fiction/Horror
W: Brett Leonard & Gimel Everett [based on a story by
Stephen King]
DP: Russell Carpenter
Ed: Alan Baumgarten
Mus: Dan Wyman
PD: Alex McDowell
Jeff Fahey (Jobe Smith), Pierce Brosnan (Dr. Lawrence Angelo),
Jenny Wright (Marnie Burke), Geoffrey Lewis (Terry McKeen), Jeremy Slate (Father McKeen), Austin O'Brien (Peter Parkette), Dean Norris (The Director)
Potentially a good idea, this was the first film to utilise
the concept of "virtual reality" in both its story and visual effects.
Based on a story by horror author Stephen King (who later
wished for his name to be omitted from the credits), a mentally retarded gardener is experimented on by a scientist who believes that a software programme will make him smarter, but unforeseen
consequences make the once-simple man too powerful, achieving the ability of telekinesis which drive him to murder before becoming power crazed.
The film is actually much better than it's given credit for,
with a dark ending which goes against the rather clichéd and predictable build up. The computer animated visual effects were much talked about at the time of release, but look incredibly dated
and unimpressive following the growth of CGI and technological advancements in the many years since.
5/10
