STRANGE DAYS

released OUT NOW! 1995 | 18 | Blu-ray Director Kathryn Bigelow Cast ralph Fiennes, angela Bassett, Juliette lewis, Tom sizemore

Remember when everyone was paranoid about the year 2000 plunging the world into hell? This Kathryn Bigelow-directed, James Cameron-scripted slice of pre-millennial angst provides a snapshot of mid-’90s concerns (racial tension in LA, police violence, the idea that sex can kill you) and bolts them onto a noir tale based around tech that records memories.

It’s the final days of the 20th century when ex-cop and porn dealer Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) stumbles on a VR snuff film, kickstarting a satisfyingly twisty story of conspiracy, double-crossing and general seediness.

While the whodunit provides an effective hook, it’s an oddly-paced affair – it’s nearly an hour before the main plot gets going, and the denouement suffers from “too many endings” syndrome. It’s also dated rather badly – the tech stores memories on MiniDiscs; remember them? – and never quite escapes feeling like a TV movie. Viewed as a pass-thetime thriller or ’90s museum piece, Strange Days is decent enough, but both Bigelow and Cameron have made much better films.

Extras A rather weird commentary track features 53 minutes of Bigelow talking about the opening POV sequence, using audio from a lecture to an audience. You also get a period Making Of promo and the trailer. Richard Edwards