Virtuosity

Name: Virtuosity
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Released: August 4, 1995
Duration: 106 min
Rating: 39
Cast: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe

1995

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Overwhelming dislike based on 167 Ratings

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1.5

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1.5	User Score Overwhelming dislike based on 167 Ratings

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Virtuosity

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: August 4, 1995 | R

Starring: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe

Summary: He's a composite of some 200 personalities, each and every one a notorious killer. He's Sid 6.7, a virtual reality creation designed to put L.A. police officers to the test. But Sid isn't playing games anymore. He's escaped the bounds of cyberspace. And if you think he's unconquerable in the world of bits and bytes, wait till you see whatHe's a composite of some 200 personalities, each and every one a notorious killer. He's Sid 6.7, a virtual reality creation designed to put L.A. police officers to the test. But Sid isn't playing games anymore. He's escaped the bounds of cyberspace. And if you think he's unconquerable in the world of bits and bytes, wait till you see what Sid has in store for a world of flesh and blood. [Paramount]… Expand

Director: Brett Leonard

Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 106 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Kevin Thomas

Virtuosity is a sleek, brutal techno-thriller that generates nonstop action, but for at least some of us the fun is spoiled by its numbing body count and murky story line. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Unfortunately, Virtuosity ignores character development in favor of slick set design and mindless action sequences. Consequently, it plays like an outdated video game. Read full review

Janet Maslin

If all of Virtuosity were as tightly controlled as that, it would exert a greater fascination than it finally does. Read full review

Empire Ian Nathan

Quality premise, poor execution. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Though Virtuosity connects all the dots to give audiences a roller-coaster ride, the movie begets nothing new: It's stillborn. Read full review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Washington is wasted here. Kelly Lynch is wooden. Crowe has a ball going over the top, but how much taunting and eyeball popping can a performer do? Read full review

Michael Wilmington

The usual bad movie sometimes gives a few chuckles, amuses audiences by making them feel superior. But young director Leonard makes a different kind of bomb. Fascinated with technology, Leonard makes cutting-edge techno-turkeys, with wildly elaborate visuals and ridiculous plots. [4 Aug 1995, pg. I]

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User Reviews

mcmullen90

Aug 5, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. OK so first I will admit that many people are correct when saying this is Russell crows and denzel Washingtons worst movie but only because the acting seems to forced and over the top and that's odd coming from 2 of the greatest actors of our time! However I found this film to be very refreshing the story/plot is simply geniuse expecially for a movie created in the early 90s if you gave this movie a bad review but haven't seen it since the 90s please watch it again and i believe you may change your mind only if because many people that watched this movie around its release date would not have understood the idea of the technology discussed and portrayed throughout.think about it in 1995 your watching a film about a scientist whom creates an artificial intelligence named S.I.D (Sadistic, Intelligent, Dangerous)whom is put into a Virtual reality world and told to do whatever he wants while 2 prisoners are sent in to try and capture or kill him only to be bested by Sid because unbenounced to them Sid had broken free from his perameters inside the VR world.because of Sid's clear abuse to the program and also the life of the men inside it is decided to delete/destroy Sid however before this can happen Sid's creator uses new cutting edge technology to not only bring Sid into the real world but also give him a body created with self healing nanotechnology so if Sid is injured in any way all he has to do is consume glass to be healed.so understanding this technology in the 90s for most was fairly hard at that time this was as sci-fi as it got and many didn't like it simply because they just didn't get/understand it.but right now in 2020 the idea for this movie isn't science fiction anymore if anything we are very close to the situation being science fact so my point is that this movie is now seen differently with the knowledge we now have yes I agree the acting was not that great there could have been more character development but no movie is perfect I believe if this movie was remade with today's actors today's technology today's CGI it could be a top 10 all timer… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

Tss5078

Feb 23, 2013

Virtuosity was a big budget 90s film, that despite having a great cast, was a big flop. After I watched the film, it's fairly easy to see why. The premise of the film is that a police training, virtual reality serial killer, programmed with over 200 personalities, gets put into a roboticVirtuosity was a big budget 90s film, that despite having a great cast, was a big flop. After I watched the film, it's fairly easy to see why. The premise of the film is that a police training, virtual reality serial killer, programmed with over 200 personalities, gets put into a robotic body and reeks havoc on LA. Having no one else to turn to, they turn to a famous cop, in prison, to catch him. The deal, catch Sid 6.7, get your freedom. It's a pretty cool idea, but after you get all the information in the beginning of the film, it turns into one big chase. That's it, a back and forth hunt, with no real substance, dialogue, or anything more than explosions and gun shots. The cast was excellent and if they had focuses more on the technology and the scientific aspects of it, the film would have been awesome, but instead it's just another plain, boring, shoot out.… Expand

2 of 12 users found this helpful210

shiftworker

Aug 22, 2016

Denzel Washington is reliable as usual, but this also has Russell Crowe having fun going over-the-top as a narcissitic villain and the plot is either still ahead of its time or needs flushing away. One can sense a final movement: the off-switch.

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

Official

Mar 8, 2014

It hungers for more character development and more work on the script. The film does have a couple of intelligent scenes, and a few star actors, but it fails to entertain.

15 of 15 users found this helpful150

crankyerma

Oct 5, 2020

Easily the stupidest big budget picture of the 90's. It's shocking that it didn't kill Crowe's fledgling career. Any time Washington acts like a haughty, egotistical jerk, friends can point to this steaming present and several other absurd cash-grabs he did to shut him up.

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

Paramilitary400

May 17, 2015

This is Denzel and Crowe's worst movie. The only scene in the movie which is good is at the start of the movie. There is an action scene that is well shot and from there on out this movie is very irrational.
The storyline is beyond dull and all the ideas they input into the movie do theThis is Denzel and Crowe's worst movie. The only scene in the movie which is good is at the start of the movie. There is an action scene that is well shot and from there on out this movie is very irrational.
The storyline is beyond dull and all the ideas they input into the movie do the movie no justice.
How this movie was made is beyond me but the move was a total waste of a 30 million dollar budget.
This movie has no excellence that is usually associated with movies released from Paramount Pictures.… Expand

17 of 17 users found this helpful170

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58	#58 Most Discussed Movie of 1995
69	#69 Most Shared Movie of 1995