Dimension Films | Release Date: April 23, 1999
6.1
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 269 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
163
Mixed:
22
Negative:
84
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8
Surpass80Jan 23, 2020
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Allegra's hair changes curliness depending on which reality she is in. In the "real" world, it is straight, in transCendenZ it is partially curly, and in eXistenZ it is completely curly. Ted's hairstyles are different between worlds as well Expand
21 of 21 users found this helpful210
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8
Appendage7Jan 18, 2020
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In the scene where Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jude Law hole up in a motel room after the failed assassination attempt, the bag their fast food comes in has "Perky Pat" written on it. This is a reference to the novel "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" by Philip K. Dick. As many have noted online, this movie takes many of its themes about nested reality and alienation directly from this book by Dick. In "Three Stigmata", however, the framework of the false realities is not a video game, but drugs called Can-D and Chew-Z. Expand
16 of 16 users found this helpful160
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10
americanravenAug 1, 2019
eXistenZ is sinister and grotesque, mind-bending and strange, and seems like it was concocted by throwing a bunch of random and unrelated ingredients together - with a miraculously good outcome.
34 of 35 users found this helpful341
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10
Ocular24Apr 14, 2021
Two producers of this movie are Hungarians, so it is not by chance that the X and the Z of the word "eXistenZ" are capitalized, since the letters between them make the Hungarian word "isten", which means "god".
14 of 14 users found this helpful140
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8
StealthgearJun 28, 2013
This movie was able to surpass the physical reality of digital computer games by representing them as living objects, then flip common viewpoints we have. "Its just a game" is no longer valid. Like Videodrome, Cronenberg knows there willThis movie was able to surpass the physical reality of digital computer games by representing them as living objects, then flip common viewpoints we have. "Its just a game" is no longer valid. Like Videodrome, Cronenberg knows there will always be a subversive element to media that extends beyond the screen. This time, our heroes know, but can't resist to plug in. One character believes that the creativity of game design grants them some free will in their own space and widens their identities into a new reality. Allegra Geller, with overconfidence of a game designer, goes on an adventure with the apprehensive Ted Pikul and they both lose perspective of their reality and their identity. Obvious comparisons to the Matrix or Dark City will take place, but this movie went beyond those in many ways. This story recognizes the desires people have to become someone new and how those desires could be exploited. Instead of becoming Neo with help of friends, Ted Pikul is forced into a much murkier game situation. While the stakes aren't as high as the existence of the human race, Ted and Geller's life and sanity are still on the line. This is not just a cheesy VR movie like many 80s 90s movies like Max Headroom, Remote Control, Jonny Mnemonic, Lawnmower Man and even the Matrix became. Now onto other elements of this movie...The musical score is just as good as Eastern Promises and later Cronenberg movies. You might not notice it against the absurdity of many of the scenes, but it is. The acting is quite good and its humor should appeal to a younger audience. The biological movie effects in this are excellent and you might lose your appetite. Perhaps this movie isn't as well liked as it could be because it doesn't involve as much violence and it doesn't have a tidy plot or demonic machine enemies. This movie had a different focus. There are spy elements that were added in but didn't turn the movie into a heightened thriller. The editing of this movie made it sort of like a bizarre reflective journey. You might not enjoy this movie if you think the digital world as fake and your identity as a biological life form is real. This is a great, entertaining movie, while is not perfect is one of my favorites with some re-watch value. Expand
7 of 7 users found this helpful70
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7
U_WANT_REVIEWAug 26, 2019
If you enjoy science fiction and weird stuff in general, check this out. Back buttholes and slimy, disgusting creatures galore. Also, this was made before the ipad and smartphone epidemic yet people have them as if it were filmed in 2019.If you enjoy science fiction and weird stuff in general, check this out. Back buttholes and slimy, disgusting creatures galore. Also, this was made before the ipad and smartphone epidemic yet people have them as if it were filmed in 2019. Pretty cool. Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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9
Chempion1Jan 29, 2023
Вообще фильм "Экзистенция" похож на какой то сон наркомана!
Фильм начинается в сарае на заброшенной ферме. Где проходит презентация новой игры гениального разработчика виртуальных миров Аллегры Геллер! Чо?!! В сарае? "Консоли" подсоединяются
Вообще фильм "Экзистенция" похож на какой то сон наркомана!
Фильм начинается в сарае на заброшенной ферме. Где проходит презентация новой игры гениального разработчика виртуальных миров Аллегры Геллер! Чо?!! В сарае? "Консоли" подсоединяются по пуповине напрямую к спинному мозгу человека!! Чо?!! Появившейся киллер стреляет в Аллегру из оружия сделанного из костей какой то рыбы!!! Чо?!!
Когда я смотрел фильм в первый раз именно на этом месте я поставил на паузу и прочитал аннотацию к фильму на видео кассете. Я просто подумал, что кассеты перепутал. Ведь на коробке написано: "Фантастический боевик"! А на экране творился полный маразм.
Да посмотрите хотя бы на написание названия: "eXistenZ"!
Но чем дальше, тем гуще. Наши герои перемещаются из измерения в измерение (игровые), попадают в странные ситуации. А в конце выясняется, что всё это время они... Не буду спойлерить. Хоть фильм и 1999 года думаю не все его видели. Так как за эти 24 года на нашем ТВ он демонстрировался только однажды и то глубокой ночью.
Но время шло и я как то проникся этой густой атмосферой eXistenZии. И теперь этот фильм я смотрю ну не реже пары раз в год. Он меня как то успокаивает, что ли.
Сюжет оказался запутанный и до самого конца, раз за разом, кажется, что вот и всё, ты знаешь кто есть кто! Но, раз и оказывается, что это опять очередная виртуальная реальность.
Фильм явно не для всех. Но тех кого зацепит, думаю уже не отпустит никогда. К сожалению видна какая то бюджетность, этого произведения. Зато в нём снялась целая плеяда звездных актёров, таких как: Джуд Лоу, Иэн Холм, Уиллем Дефо и другие.
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1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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8
SpangleMar 15, 2016
eXistenZ is an incredibly weird film that is pretty hard to explain, but I still loved it. It has to be one of the weirder concepts I have seen put to film, but director David Cronenberg does a great job keeping track of it all as things geteXistenZ is an incredibly weird film that is pretty hard to explain, but I still loved it. It has to be one of the weirder concepts I have seen put to film, but director David Cronenberg does a great job keeping track of it all as things get weirder and weirder. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jude Law's performances are very good here and, though some would call them wooden, it is purposeful here, so they did a good job capturing that. Additionally, the film really messes with your mind and makes you question reality incredibly well. What is real and what is not real is really hard to put together and it is thanks to Cronenberg's assured direction that the film is not a mess. eXistenZ is an oddball of a film that is an incredibly good time and really makes you think.

Ignore the rating on Metacritic. Something is odd, considering none of the negative ratings have an accompanying review.
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14 of 15 users found this helpful141
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10
BaskApr 23, 2021
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13 of 16 users found this helpful133
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10
Exemplify78May 18, 2021
⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
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7 of 9 users found this helpful72
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7
etoppDec 20, 2019
Typical body horror flick from Cronenberg but the game design/console theme gives it a fresh twist. The "what is real" concept predates the movie "Inception" by a decade.
4 of 7 users found this helpful43
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10
ConsortApr 25, 2021
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7 of 13 users found this helpful76
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6
StaticSpineFeb 21, 2014
I didn't like the movie much, despite the decent actors the movie is not well made, the visual characters are not that convincing, the killing scenes (and other visual effects) are lame and the whole story is not that good. Another thing II didn't like the movie much, despite the decent actors the movie is not well made, the visual characters are not that convincing, the killing scenes (and other visual effects) are lame and the whole story is not that good. Another thing I must mention that the movie is rather strange and sometimes disturbing. The only thing that I really liked - it's the way the game elements are shown in the movie - all that awkwardness in the story progression and NPC interaction. Expand
3 of 34 users found this helpful331
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10
EggsisTenseFeb 6, 2006
One of David Cronenberg's best and most underrated films. It's playful, knowing, funny, sexy and gross-out. What more could you want? Jennifer Jason Leigh is at her sexiest and coolest here - a charming, fey, untrustworthy heroine; One of David Cronenberg's best and most underrated films. It's playful, knowing, funny, sexy and gross-out. What more could you want? Jennifer Jason Leigh is at her sexiest and coolest here - a charming, fey, untrustworthy heroine; and Jude Law is perfectly cast as the nervous, passive bodyguard reluctantly caught up in her dangerous world. Great fun for all Cronenberg fans, and a genuine modern cult classic. Highly recommended. Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful
10
AdamA.Sep 26, 2007
This movie is one of the best films I've seen. Totally original. Great cast and performances. Killer story and great direction. Totally creepy. So many great scenes.
0 of 1 users found this helpful
9
JoshCNov 20, 2006
Cronenberg's best film since Dead Ringers. This film ends a decade long slump of duds and near misses. This movie returns to his greatnes of the 70's and 80's and stops pandering to smug critics like J. Hoberman. This film is Cronenberg's best film since Dead Ringers. This film ends a decade long slump of duds and near misses. This movie returns to his greatnes of the 70's and 80's and stops pandering to smug critics like J. Hoberman. This film is for the fans. Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful
7
HellHoleHorrorFeb 16, 2022
Nothing amazingly original or exciting in the pictures but it was very functional. The effects were convincing. I liked the use of camera angles that weren't always traditional. It made it interesting and slightly odd. It was nicely shot butNothing amazingly original or exciting in the pictures but it was very functional. The effects were convincing. I liked the use of camera angles that weren't always traditional. It made it interesting and slightly odd. It was nicely shot but not noticeable. The sound worked well. I liked the musical score and the sound effects were used to punctuate the strange nature of the game well. It was organic sound with a classical score. I liked the story. It was very modern and forward thinking. The organic computer games were really cool. The weakest point was the ending as it didn't reveal anything and offered too many complications. Very much worth watching though especially as it is a little weird. Very interesting story let down by a weak ending. Fascinating throughout though. Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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7
CharlieW.Mar 24, 2006
This movie made me scream at the end for its pure weirdness... I don't know whether I like it or not... *twitch* *twitch*
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
eva3si0nAug 28, 2023
Everyone has already forgotten about eXistenZ. But the film was released at the same time as The Matrix in the same year. And these films talk about the same thing. Only in different words and in different ways. And surprisingly, eXistenZEveryone has already forgotten about eXistenZ. But the film was released at the same time as The Matrix in the same year. And these films talk about the same thing. Only in different words and in different ways. And surprisingly, eXistenZ explains virtual reality much better. Yes, not so beautiful and understandable, but in a very perverted form and not so fascinating. But could David Cronenberg have filmed otherwise? eXistenZ is not a film for everyone, even fewer people will want to understand it when watching it. Therefore, eXistenZ was forgotten and the modern viewer will not remember it. David Cronenberg revealed the meaning of virtual reality in his own way, using a different approach. As an eXistenZ film, I think most viewers will upset, but if you try to understand what the director wanted to say, if you discard the secondary scenery and scenes. This is one of the most ambiguous views on the falsity of our world. What is the finale of the film and the last words of the main characters. One of the most unusual films with a deep meaning that I've seen. Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
Ulna319May 16, 2021
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0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
ReceptacleJun 23, 2021
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0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
Xenophobe114Jun 26, 2021
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0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
Stagger74Jul 14, 2021
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0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
BillHimmelMar 4, 2023
A wild, fun ride! The pictures are odd and sometimes pretty gory, but I definitely recommend watching!
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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