MovieChat Forums > The Thirteenth Floor (1999) Discussion > 1st viewing I didn't like it. 2nd viewin...

1st viewing I didn't like it. 2nd viewing I loved it.

posted 8 years ago by foxmulder1993
12 replies | jump to latest

I'm not sure what it is with this movie, but about 4 years ago I watched it for the first time and wasn't really that fond of it. Unlike some, I thought the cast was pretty good. Craig was a very likable lead and Gretchen absolutely gorgeous. The concept of time hopping inside a virtual reality program was very intriguing and the murder mystery was compelling, but I didn't really "get it" at the time. Over time it kinda stayed there in the back of my mind and I'd ramdomly find myself thinking about it, trying to figure it out. Fast forward to today and here I am watching it again and I'm finding it to be a terrific sci-fi noir with many of the best elements (Blade Runner, Dark City) the genre has to offer.

[–] leyenda61 7 years ago

Pretty sure that was my experience as well. Very overlooked film.

-- Sent from my 13 year old P.O.S. Desktop®

[–] jdforyou1983 (1469) 3 years ago

I liked it on the first viewing, but that's just me

[–] Ace_Spade (9334) 3 years ago

I liked it first time, too, although I did feel something was lacking. It's hard to describe. It's almost like the premise and the setting had way more potential than was used. They created a cool, cyber-noir world and these interesting reality-bender concepts and then kinda did a murder/thriller/mystery story with them. That was actually done a lot better by Altered Carbon or Strange Days, both of which utilised their cool concepts more and pushed further, I think.

Don't get me wrong: I did enjoy The 13th Floor, but I think it had more potential left untapped. I might be interested in watching a TV series or miniseries, actually. Or if they remade it...although, it was a bit "'90s" in terms of its approach to cyberspace, so maybe it would just feel really plodding these days.

This thread makes me think I should re-watch it, though, see if my appreciation grows.

[–] FilmBuff (6663) 3 years ago

I've meant to rewatch this film for years. I only saw it once, during its original theatrical run, and I remember thoroughly enjoying it. I'd seen The Matrix not long beforehand-- I seem to recall the two films coming out just a month or two apart-- and found it interesting that two films took the same basic premise in such radically different directions. In any event, I'm going to rewatch tonight or soon, and see how well the film has held up over the span of 2+ decades.

[–] Ace_Spade (9334) 3 years ago

Three if you consider that Dark City came out just the year before. But that was kind of the '90s, too. There was all this buzzing excitement about the internet and where the virtual worlds would lead us. You can see it echoing around in movies like Hackers. I haven't seen Johnny Mnemonic or The Net, but I understand that there are similar themes. Heck, Tron was doing it in the '80s.

[–] FilmBuff (6663) 3 years ago

I've never heard of Dark City. Worth watching?

Another movie I lump in with The Thirteenth Floor, even though it isn't exactly a Matrix-y VR type film, is Johnny 2.0. I think it was a TV movie, but one I rented and saw on DVD. It has flaws, but it held my attention and kept me guessing, though another I need to rewatch as it's been a good 20 years, at least, since I saw it.

The Net felt like the Hollywood version of the above films. Johnny Mnemonic I somehow never saw. I meant to at the time, and probably should.

[–] Ace_Spade (9334) 3 years ago

Very, very worth watching, yes. They re-used sets from Dark City in the rooftop chase at the beginning of the Matrix. It's a very neo-noir, sci-fi, cyberpunky type of movie, and I would definitely recommend it, all the moreso because your tastes lean in to this kind of reality-bending stuff.

It's my turn: I haven't heard of Johnny 2.0. Should I look that one up? It sounds like it might be a bit of a digging expedition to find it.

I've heard Johnny Mnemonic was pretty good. I think it's probably felt by many to be a sort of cult classic ala Buckeroo Banzai, although not as beloved as that particular film.

[–] FilmBuff (6663) 3 years ago

Sounds like Dark City is something to watch.

I'd definitely say watch Johnny 2.0, though again, I haven't watched it in forever. I believe I have it as an mp4 somewhere, so if you can't find it anywhere send me a message here on the site. In the meantime, I may rewatch it along with 13th Floor, and give Dark City a go.

[–] Ace_Spade (9334) 3 years ago

I'll see if I can located Johnny 2.0; if I can't, I'll drop you a line.

Thanks!

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

This was a great movie. It had the misfortune to come out at about the same time as The Matrix. The Matrix is good, but I prefer this one a bit more.

[–] Ace_Spade (9334) 3 years ago

That's pretty fascinating. I rarely come across people who know, remember, and love The Thirteenth Floor, let alone more than The Matrix. What's your favourite stuff in The Thirteenth Floor that so elevates it?

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

The 13th Floor used the concept in a unique different way... time-travel to the past (sort of). It was a 'lo-fi' approach that made creative use of the limited budget... about 1/4 of that of The Matrix according to IMDB.

It's a murder mystery of sorts as much as a sci-fi.

Plus it has the clever twist when Craig Bierko's character discovers that what he assumed was the present was just another layer of simulation. (Most of us probably guessed what he was going to find when he set out in his car, but it was still a great scene with the universe just ending in an unfinished grid. Instead of being incredulous, he has this great understated response of "Well, huh. Will you look at that? I did not see that coming.")

The Matrix was fun in its own way, but largely because of the cutting edge action sequences. Cool to watch, but they didn't add anything to the concept itself. It also adopted a cyberpunk aesthetic -- the green/blue palette, lots of night scenes, the leather trenchcoats thing -- which was a somewhat dated cliche by 1999.

I only saw the Matrix once, but I watched The Thirteenth Floor a few times back then.

If you liked The Thirteenth Floor, you might enjoy a old sci-fi novel by Keith Laumer called The Great Time Machine Hoax. It's a light read, but it uses the same idea... faux time-travel via virtual reality. Things go wrong though when the time travelers end up 'stuck' in the past.