Plot: What’s it about?
If you want to romance a gorgeous woman on a whim or even undertake an adventure through the tropics, you can do so on a moment’s notice. That’s right, no matter what your fantasy happens to be you can live it out thanks to an advanced computer system called The Resort. You can’t catch any diseases, your life is never in danger, it seems like a virtual reality heaven to most people. You simply input your personal information and the doors unlock to pleasures and adventures the users have never ever dreamed possible. But this software could also be used to inject unwanted thoughts into the user’s mind, which is exactly what a presidential candidate, Felix Medina (Corbin Bernsen) intends to do. This isn’t an action some people appreciate so when a band of rebels learn of the plot, they use the software to place the mind of their fallen leader (Bruce Campbell) into a brilliant programmer, Menno (Bill Campbell). If Menno fails his mission, free thinking will be a thing of the past but if anyone can manage this one, it’s him.
I missed this film when it was aired on Showtime, so I was looking forward to checking it out when this review disc arrived. I was interested in the storyline and the cast seemed adequate, so I expected an overall solid and entertaining movie. While this did have some terrific moments, on the whole I was left somewhat disappointed with the film. Perhaps it was because I expected too much, but the movie never clicked with me on any fronts. The storyline had some serious potential, but somewhere along the line it just lost the shine I suppose. The actors manage adequate performances and I can’t imagine them doing much better, but perhaps with more skilled performers this one could have been a little better. I did like the visuals used in the movie though, but they weren’t enough to carry the entire film. The production values seem strong and all other elements appear to be in place, but it just never clicks together like it should. I liked this movie somewhat the first time around, but I have no plans to revisit the movie again. I recommend this as a rental to those interested and if you’re a fan of the flick, the disc is terrific so don’t hesitate to pick it up.
This film was directed by Jon Kroll, who has very little experience in terms of directing but he manages to create a nice atmosphere for this movie. While the movie left me disappointed, the visuals were very cool and Kroll’s camera is able to capture them in very cool fashion. The simple, yet powerful style works very well here and I hope to see more from Kroll in the future. The writer of this movie was Mark Valenti and while the initial synopsis seems interesting, as the story unfolds it becomes less so. But since this was his first effort in terms of a motion picture, perhaps he can spring back and pen a more impressive feature soon. As I mentioned above the acting in this movie is adequate, but could be much better. When Corbin Bernsen (Major League, The Great White Hype) turns in the best performance, you know the movie is in trouble. I expected a solid turn from Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness), but he doesn’t show much of anything here. The supporting cast includes Bill Campbell (The Rocketeer, Gettysburg), Samantha Phillips (Love Potion, Fallen Angel), Michael Dorn (Star Trek: First Contact), and Stephanie Romanov (Spy Hard, Tricks).
Video: How does it look?
Menno’s Mind is presented in a 1.33:1 or full frame transfer, which retains the original aspect ratio. Imagine a sharper broadcast image and that pretty much sums up this transfer, but that’s the best you can ask for with a release like this one. The colors are vivid and bold, with no bleeds I could notice and flesh tones seem natural and warm. The contrast is in fine form also, no detail loss is evident and shadows are complex and deep. This is a terrific transfer and I can’t find too much to complain about.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release contains a stereo track, which provides an audio experience much like broadcast would I am sure. The music is cool and this mix makes it sound clear, but never makes it too loud. The effects come through well, though a full surround track would have juiced this audio to speaker shaking levels. But as it is, this stands as an adequate track in terms of sound effects. The dialogue sounds excellent though and shows no volume problems at all.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A six minute behind the scenes featurette starts us off, which contains interviews and some production footage. This is a nice inclusion, but I would have liked a more in depth look instead. A one minute reel of outtakes is humorous, but again a longer piece would have been much better. Some nice filmographies also found their way onto this disc. The final bonus is an extended sequence with Candy, the virtual love chick.
