Arcade [1993]

A Charles Band-backed stab at the demonic video game genre which became the Adam and Eve Were Spacemen cliché of the 1990s [cf: Mindwarp, Brainscan, Evolver]. Cells from the brain of an abused kid are incorporated into a new game that trendily uses Virtual Reality trickery to suck in a group of teens - not badly played by growing-up kid stars - who have to be rescued by neurotic games novice Ward. The heroine, traumatised by the death of her Mom [Sharon Farrell], alternately duels with and tries to understand the guiding spirit of the gameworld.

The VR sequences make ingenious but obviously cheap use of limited computer animation and a lot of chroma-key video trickery which gives it the look of a British kids' TV show like Knightmare or Terror Towers, complete with winged skeleton computer cartoons. Despite a coupel of false endings, this has trouble stretching itself even to the minimal running time typical of Full Moon. Fully aware that it can't decide how its plot works, the script has someone ask 'is it supernatural evil that you're fighting or is it space aliens or something?' With a young Seth Green, Star Trek vet John DeLancie and winning Megan Ward. Directed by Albert Pyun.
KIM NEWMAN

First published in this form here.

Visit Kim's Official Website at www.johnnyalucard.com