Line #32 Film/Virtuosity


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/virtuosity_poster_5921.jpg]]
2	->''"I'm a fifty terabyte, self-evolving, neural network, double back-flip off the high platform. I'm not a swan dive."''
3	-->-- '''Sid 6.7'''
4
5	''Virtuosity'' is a [[TheNineties 1995]] science fiction film directed by Brett Leonard. The movie tells of a new virtual reality training program for cops. SID 6.7 (Aussie import Creator/RussellCrowe), the villain program in charge of the sim, is mothballed after causing a brain overload in one of the playtesters, but the lead scientist Dr. Darrel Lindenmeyer (Creator/StephenSpinella) refuses to quit. In revenge, he transplants SID into an android body and sets him loose in Los Angeles.
6
7	Parker Barnes (Creator/DenzelWashington), an ex-LAPD officer and one of the surviving testers, is reinstated in order to stop SID before he embarrasses the hell out of everyone. SID was created as an amalgam of hundreds of real-life murderers, including UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler and UsefulNotes/SaddamHussein. But one of the ghost personalities in SID was also responsible for killing Barnes' wife, which adds spice to their deadly game.
8
9	The film was shot in and around Los Angeles.
10	----
11	!!The movie provides examples of:
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13	* AlienBlood: Apart from his brain, SID is silicon-based, causing him to squirt blue goo whenever he rebuilds himself.
14	* AnArmAndALeg: Parker lost an arm to the bomb which killed his family, but it's replaced with a cybernetic one.
15	* AppendageAssimilation: SID can regrow blown-off appendages with glass. It doesn't appear to be that pleasant for him.
16	* ArtisticLicenseSports: The UFC event portrayed in the second act is very inaccurate.
17	** There are two fights going on at the same time, something like a professional wrestling show rather than an MMA bout.
18	** Michael Buffer makes announcements mid-fight while standing on a platform over the Octagon. In reality, Buffer's half-brother Bruce is the announcer of the UFC, and he makes announcements between bouts from inside the Octagon.
19	** The entire audience is chanting "Kapow!" in time to a song during the fight, a complete artistic invention.
20	* AttackAttackAttack: Barnes states that he's looking for SID's eyes to pick him out of a crowd. Then he sees a silhouette of SID and simply opens fire.
21	* AxCrazy: SID has 183 criminals in his mind, so that's the result.
22	* BadassInANiceSuit: From UsefulNotes/AlCapone and [[UsefulNotes/BenitoMussolini Mussolini]], SID inherited a taste for fine tailoring.
23	* BeardOfSorrow: Barnes has a beard and dreadlocks as a prisoner. He shaves them when he is reinstated to hunt down SID.
24	* BondOneLiner: The first test subject, Donovan, dies off-screen when SID electrocutes him and stuffs his body in a sushi display case.
25	-->'''SID''': He's chilling out.
26	* BottomlessMagazines: Barnes manages to take 30+ shots at SID in the nightclub without reloading his standard-issue service pistol ''once''.
27	* BoxedCrook: Parker. He gets an ExplosiveLeash ''implanted'' for his trouble. [[spoiler:He's let off the hook by Cochran just as Deane is about to execute him.]]
28	* TheCameo:
29	** Traci Lords cameos as a singer in the club SID 'visits'.
30	** Michael Buffer and Wrestling/KenShamrock appear as themselves when Sid attends the UFC match.
31	* ChekhovsGun: Parker's artificial arm comes in [[{{Pun}} handy]] at the climax of the film.
32	* CondemnedContestant: Convicts are used to test the new (and inadvertently deadly) VR police training system. Barnes is an ex-cop who, in a break from the norm, is actually guilty of the crime he was imprisoned for.
33	* ContentWarnings: Delivered in pure FauxAffablyEvil fashion by Sid as he begins his "Death TV" rampage.
34	-->'''SID''': Before we begin, a word to the parents of our younger viewers: The following programme contains scenes of violence, it will not be suitable for small children. The rest of you won't be able to take your eyes off the screen. [''[[OffhandBackhand Points his Glock to hostages without turning to look at them]]''] [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Don't. Fucking. Move.]]
35	* CompositeCharacter: Fifty terabytes is a lot of freaking memory, even today. Lindenmeyer could never program SID by himself, so he "grew" him in a vat of criminal algorithms.
36	* TheDeadCanDance: Who knew Atilla the Hun could cut a rug? Well, pouring the souls of 183 homicidal maniacs into a computer got boring after awhile, so Lindenmeyer added in an orchestra director. And even androids can't resist the [=BeeGees=]!
37	* DigitalAbomination: SID 6.7 is effectively this as a MindHive amalgamation of 200 notorious criminal personalities assembled out of the minds of dozens of psychopaths, murderers and dictators, including the dead terrorist Matthew Grimes. Lindenmeyer, SID 6.7's creator, unleashes him to the world to cause chaos and he eventually gets downloaded into a self-regenerating nanomachine android body. As such, he immediately goes on a killing spree, murdering in the style of assorted killers (i.e. writing "death to the pigs" in blood like Charles Manson). Best demonstrated [[here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxKp6tH2AKU]].
38	* DisappearedDad: Madison appears to be a single mother, whether divorced or simply never married is unknown, as her daughter's father is not mentioned or shown in the film.
39	* {{Emoticon}}: Barnes locates SID in the training program through the clue left on the side of a building: the emoticon of a smiley face. Parker has to explain what they are.
40	* {{Expy}}: SID 6.7 shares some traits with Horace Pinker from ''Film/{{Shocker}}'', and arguably an early prototype for Creator/RussellCrowe's later role as [[Film/TheMummy2017 Edward Hyde]].
41	* EverythingIsOnline: How SID seems to know so much about Parker, Madison, etc.
42	* FamousFamousFictional: In addition to the real-world gangsters and dictators who inspired SID 6.7, there appear to be some fictional baddies, like Matthew Grimes, the terrorist who blew up Parker's family.
43	* FauxAffablyEvil: No matter how depraved his actions get, SID never loses his cheery demeanor or impeccable manners and seems like someone who'd be fun to be around were he not a monstrous killer:
44	-->'''SID''': Just because I'm carrying around the joy of killing your family inside me doesn't mean we can't be friends.
45	* ForgottenFallenFriend: [[spoiler:Billy is pretty much forgotten about by Parker after Lindenmeyer clubs him to death rather brutally. Arguably a JustifiedTrope, as there’s no time to mourn afterward, what with Karin Carter hooked up to a bomb and all...]]
46	* FunWithAcronyms: A BlinkAndYouMissIt example. As Parker and Donovan search for SID in the sim, SID himself appears as a news anchor virtual reality head talking about himself, warning the listeners about the killer and describing him as "'''S'''adistic, '''I'''ntelligent, and '''D'''angerous."
47	* GangstaStyle: Sid holds his pistol sideways when gunning down cops at the dance club.
48	* GhostInTheMachine: As he makes small talk with Barnes, SID seems to suggest that bomber Matthew Grimes ranked low in the hierarchy of Lindenmeyer's data. (Carter explains that SID's mind is like a war zone, with 183 psychopaths wrestling for control at any given time.) However, seeing Barnes again causes the Grimes personality to have a greater degree of influence. Hence SID's last scheme: mother-daughter hostage team with a time bomb attached.
49	* GoneHorriblyRight: SID 6.7 was intended to essentially be the ultimate criminal, the idea being that if cops could catch him in the simulation, catching any real-life criminal would be easy. Unfortunately, SID figures out how to first start killing people inside the simulation... and then escapes into the real world.
50	* GroinAttack: Parker does this--twice--to the racist white inmate who tried to kill him when he got back from being a guinea pig.
51	* TheHeavy: Lindenmeyer is the BigBad, but it's SID who does most of the dirty work.
52	* IHaveYourWife:
53	** Matthew Grimes kidnapped Barnes's wife and daughter, who ended up killed by a bomb he set.
54	** Near the end, SID kidnaps Dr. Carter's young daughter Karin.
55	* InsideAComputerSystem: Where the movie starts.
56	* JackTheRipoff: SID 6.7's personality is an amalgamation of 200 notorious criminal personalities. So, when he gets a physical body, he starts murdering in the style of assorted killers (i.e. writing "death to the pigs" in blood like UsefulNotes/CharlesManson).
57	* KissMeImVirtual: Sheila 3.2, a virtual reality sex doll whose function is to deduce your psycho-sexual needs and fulfill them. Lindenmeyer explains to Clyde: "Sheila 3.2 is collecting information from 136 aspects of your physiology. Your heart rate, pupil dilation, vocal intonation, syntax..." Lindenmeyer says [[PlatonicProstitution she's also very skilled at chess]].
58	* LargeHam: Creator/RussellCrowe had so much ''fuuuun'' with this movie. Given that his character is basically the robot [[ComicBook/TheJoker Joker]], it was probably the right way to play it.
59	* LaughablyEvil: SID is a murderous and sadistic A.I., but boy is he fun to watch at times.
60	* LovesTheSoundOfScreaming: SID 6.7 uses a roomful of hostages at a dance club as a source of a variety of screams, which he then remixes with the club's equipment for his enjoyment. As one can probably tell from this scene alone, this guy is a complete psycho.
61	* MadScientist: Lindenmeyer, SID 6.7's creator who unleashed him to the world to cause chaos.
62	* MagicCountdown: Double subverted with the last bomb... which countdowns normally, until Barnes tries anything... at which point it speeds up. Desperate, Barnes uses wiring in his prosthetic arm to try and foul it up... which only makes it countdown faster... and then glitch up, "de-activating" the bomb.
63	* MindHive: SID 6.7 is a virtual program who eventually gets downloaded into a self-regenerating android body. He's assembled out of the minds of dozens of psychopaths, murderers and dictators, including the dead terrorist Matthew Grimes, Barnes's previous nemesis. Grimes is repeatedly brought to the surface when SID comes face-to-face with Barnes and influences SID's desire to gain world notoriety.
64	* MixAndMatchMan: SID 6.7 is created from the personalities of 183 criminals. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And an orchestra director.]]
65	* MonstrousHumanoid: SID 6.7'S genesis. Then it's Creator/RussellCrowe.
66	* MurderDotCom: SID takes over a TV studio and announces "Death TV," where the viewers get to vote by telephone on which member(s) of the studio audience he kills and how he does it.
67	-->'''SID 6.7''': All you have to do, sweet viewers, is ask! So, what do you want? Strangulation? Mutilation? Cannibalism? Gunshots? Stabbings? I'll slice, I'll dice, I'll julienne! How about hanging... by the testicles?
68	* {{Nanomachines}}: What SID is made up of in the real world.
69	* NeckSnap: When one guy in the TV shop insists on watching the fighting tournament, SID 6.7 twists his neck around.
70	* NotSoDifferentRemark:
71	** SID does a version of this speech over the radio to Barnes and Dr. Carter while being chased.
72	-->'''SID 6.7''': I've been thinking, Parker. We have so much in common psychologically. Wouldn't you agree, Dr. Carter? We have such a history together. We'd make a great team. A dynamic duo. Who else touches the world with [[ArtificialLimbs synthetic hands]]? Who else has been locked out of the real world and is now just learning to free? Who else do you know that's a multiple murderer... just like you?
73	** He also tries to do a version of this speech to ''the entire human race''.
74	--->'''SID 6.7''': What I am is not my fault. It's not even my choice. I came to be because of what YOU are. Face it, folks--to kill is in your nature!
75	* {{Novelization}}: By Creator/TerryBisson.
76	* NumberOfTheBeast: SID 6.7's version number is supposedly an oblique reference to 666. It's 6.66 rounded to one decimal place.
77	* OneWingedAngel: SID tries to do this near the end. Unfortunately for him, [[TransformationIsAFreeAction Transformation Is Not A Free Action]] after all.
78	* PoliceAreUseless: Barnes is arrested for the shooting death of the hostage at the train station, even though any competent investigator would see that the bullet wounds came from behind, showing that she was shot at the back by SID.
79	* ProductPlacement: The action extends to an UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship bout. Oddly, the promotion is portrayed in an extremely inaccurate manner, as the UFC was underground at the time.
80	* RealityWarper: When SID 6.7 realizes he is back in VR, he screams "YOU'RE IN MY WORLD NOW!!!" and twists the building around in an attempt to kill Barnes.
81	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: How Parker ended up in jail; [[spoiler:it's revealed in flashbacks that, after Matthew Grimes killed Parker's family, Parker tracked Grimes down, slaughtering him and his henchmen. Unfortunately, Grimes was doing an interview with a two-person news crew so that he could gloat over how cool he was, and after Parker got done killing the dirty bastard, he killed the news team by accident, turning and firing on them, thinking they were just more of Grimes' {{mooks}}]].
82	* RobotGirl: Sheila 3.2, [[ArtificialIntelligence Virtual reality sex doll]], whose sole function is to deduce your psychosexual needs, and fulfill them: "Sheila 3.2 is collecting information from 136 aspects of your physiology. Your heart rate, pupil dilation, vocal intonation, syntax..." She was scheduled for download to a [[SuperStrength super strong]] [[HealingFactor regenerative]] body, capable of [[ShapeShifting shape-shifting]] into the IA virtual avatar. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] because the ''male'' IA SID is the one who ends up being downloaded.
83	* ShapeshifterGuiltTrip: SID is able to briefly shift his face and voice to look like Matthew Grimes, the terrorist who killed Barnes' family. SID explains that seeing Barnes brings Grimes, out of all 183 criminals, "oozing to the surface."
84	* ShoutOut: At one point, SID says to someone "[[Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs love the suit]]."
85	* SiliconBasedLife: SID's body. He uses glass to regenerate himself whenever he's injured.
86	* SlicesDicesAndMakesJulienneFries: Included in the 'parental advisory' which preceded SID's city-wide broadcast.
87	* ThisIsReality: SID shooting the breeze with Barnes over his dead loved ones. "Still dead, huh? That's reality for you: no saving, no resetting."
88	* TooDumbToLive:
89	** Lindenmeyer, the creator of SID 6.7, fools Clyde into introducing him into the real world. Guess who kills the sucker?
90	** The news crew that went to interview a psychotic bomber in his hideout, then rushed toward an injured man with a machine gun in an apparent attempt to get questions answered.
91	* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Glass for SID 6.7, which he uses to regenerate lost body parts. Goes to ridiculous extremes when he starts eating shards of broken windshield like Halloween candy.
92	* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: Only set in 1999.
93	* WholePlotReference: To ''Film/{{Shocker}}'', as both films involved a electronic tech-based SerialKiller causing mayhem both in the digital screen world and the real world and a protagonist named Parker (which is the forename in this film instead of surname in the other) pursues to put a stop to him. Both films had a fight between the villain and the hero on top of broadcasting tower and culminated in the final showdown in the digital world.
94	* WouldHurtAChild:
95	** Grimes kidnapped Barnes' wife and daughter, and they ended up killed by his bomb.
96	** SID kidnaps Dr. Carter's daughter and has her placed near a time bomb.
97	* YouAreNumberSix: Each of Lindenmeyer's creations are in the beta phase. "Sushi Chef" and "Geisha Girl" have their own releases, also.
98	* YourMindMakesItReal: Not a straight example; the system is designed to train cops in combat situations, similar to the US Army's RealLife Force XXI program. The problem is that different people worked on different parts of the system and didn't understand how Lindenmeyer's maniacal AI could abuse it. [[DevelopersForesight The developers got almost all the bases covered]]; they programmed in non-lethal simulations of being shot, bludgeoned and even ''bitten'', but when SID decided to try electrocuting someone, the poor chump's brain overloaded.
99	-->'''SID 6.7''': Killing for real... It was a real rush.
100	** Near the end of the film SID tries a different method on Parker after he manages to gain control of the simulation: He subjects Parker to a rapid-fire series of intense surreal sensory input in an attempt to overload his brain and potentially induce heart failure.
101	* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: Matthew Grimes was a domestic terrorist who zeroed in on Barnes as a scapegoat for The Man.

Context Film / Virtuosity