I just watched this film, and even though it was long, it was some what entertaining. A lot of eye candy computer graphics but no real direction. I saw Tron, Blade Runner, The Matrix and a lot of other films rolled up in one with this film. The action was slow as the characters were too. To much copying of other movies is what made this film not what it could have been. What was it really trying to say in the plot?
San Diego, Ca Indie Filmmaker
It was a truly awful movie by international standards but represents a heck of an achievement by local (Singaporean) standards.. So in that respect I have to take my hat off to the makers.. but in all conscience I cannot recommend paying good money to see this in the cinema!
As for what it was about, well, on the surface it was a cheap recycling of all the sci-fi plots that we have seen recently (borrowing mainly from Matrix - in fact, its alternative title is Matrix Hunter; whether this is a deliberate tribute or an attempt to cash in I can't be certain). At this level the film is barely watchable: poor dialogue, terrible and inconsistent plotting, cheap music score, wooden acting, even from the likes of Joan Chen and David Warner. It's not even worth visiting the hundred holes in the plot; the best approach is to sit there and watch the graphics, and swallow everything else with a big dose of suspended belief.
What was more interesting to me (but not interesting enough to raise my overall opinion of this movie by much) was the subtext. As a Singaporean, albeit one who has lived in the West for the past 20+ years, I am probably better placed to recognise many of the underlying themes that will escape foreign viewers; for example: for clinical Sintawan one might read Singapore; for the rules of the game one might read government political strategies and economic policies; for the five players one might read certain local sacred cows; for the whole concept underpinning the plot one might discern a clamour for political change. Viewed in this manner, the film is clearly a criticism of certain local conditions disguised as sci-fi nonsense; and it seems to have gotten away with it in so far as it has been allowed a regional release.
The other thing that I personally found interesting about the film was seeing some old friends and acquaintances in the bit parts.. unfortunately, while I would like to be loyal to their efforts, in all honesty I cannot say it was a film worthy of international exposure.
But as a stepping stone towards better things it is a promising venture.
3/10