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Discover this misunderstood gem from the 90s that mixes science fiction and video games on Prime Video

eXistenZ is a movie you didn't know you need to watch

Discover this misunderstood gem  from the 90s that mixes science fiction and video games on Prime Video
Juan Carlos Saloz

Juan Carlos Saloz

  • November 25, 2024
  • Updated: November 25, 2024 at 6:38 PM

Science fiction is having a sublime moment thanks to streaming platforms like Apple TV+ and Prime Video, which constantly bet on the genre with series that a few years ago we could not have imagined. However, this new trend is also leading us to rediscover cult gems that adopt a new form with the new times.

The greatest creator of this type of gem is, without a doubt, David Cronenberg. The director of The Fly, Videodrome, and the recent Crimes of the Future has been captivating body horror fans since his beginnings, and many of his films were not well understood at the time. That is why it is time to revisit eXistenZ (1999), a film released the same year as The Matrix, which only grossed 3 million dollars compared to the 15 it cost. But why is it worth watching today?

Body Horror + Video Games

The story of eXistenZ immerses us in a near future where video games are not just entertainment, but a physical extension of the players. Consoles have been replaced by organic “game pods,” grotesque devices that connect directly to the spine via a bio-port, a concept as fascinating as it is disturbing, which at the time seemed almost logical.

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In this world, Jennifer Jason Leigh plays Allegra Geller, a video game designer who finds herself caught in a spiral of paranoia and violence after an assassination attempt during the presentation of her creation, eXistenZ. Alongside her, Jude Law portrays Ted Pikul, an involuntary companion who joins her on a journey that questions the very nature of reality.

Cronenberg, true to his style, mixes cyberpunk elements with his characteristic visceral horror. The organic pods, bio-ports, and a gun made of bones and human teeth are some of the details that make eXistenZ an experience as unsettling as it is visually unique. Available on Prime Video, it’s worth watching… if only out of curiosity.

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