XChange

HOLLYWOOD VS. CYBERPUNK

A Video Review of XChange

Copyright 2003 Glenn Walker

Hollywood hates cyberpunk. Look at The Matrix, Johnny Mnemonic and the classic Blade Runner. They are the exceptions. Everything else they crap on. Hollywood is so good at doing this. They take a brilliant cyberpunk science fiction concept, make a movie of it and make it completely unwatchable.

Here is XChange. It is set in a future where mind transference technology exists and is used for travel. You live in New York and need to attend a meeting in San Francisco so you send your mind to a body in San Fran - fast and easy. It beats airline food.

Now imagine all the cool things that go with that. Anonymity of meeting new people in a strange city. Letting your trainer take your body and work out while you do paperwork with his. And of course the nightmare and the plot of this film, a terrorist absconding with your body while you use his.

This is exactly what happens to businessman Toffler who is off to find his hijacked body in New York where this just becomes standard sci-fi action fare. The dull talents of Stephen the lesser Baldwin don't help. His casting may have been part of that Hollywood hate I mentioned.



This could have been so good but is simply mediocre with some cool special effects. It's a shame. I wish I could exchange XChange.