Brainscan (1994; John Flynn) – Scare Daniel Podcast Episode 48

“The interactive trip to hell is paved with good intentions.”

Trickster gods Daniel Barnes and Corky McDonnell open Scare Daniel season by reviewing charisma black hole Edward Furlong in Brainscan.

Furlong stars in Brainscan as Michael Brower, a disaffected, technology-obsessed teenager who gets tormented by an interactive CD-ROM. Frank Langella makes his third appearance on the podcast, video-phoning in his performance as a no-nonsense detective. Meanwhile, relative unknown T. Ryder Smith outacts them all as Trickster, a virtual demon with CGI guts.

Brainscan offers a grab bag of intriguing ideas, but the pieces never fit together. Even without the clumsy execution, though, no film could surmount Furlong’s complete lack of talent and screen presence.

Elsewhere, Daniel and Corky discuss distinctive foot tattoos, flirty jeans jackets, Primus dance scenes and Buddies Forever petitions.

NEW DARES

Krull (Heather Smith)

Big Money Hustlas (Mr. Positivity Wolfie T)

BRAINSCAN FACTS AND FIGURES

U.S. theatrical release date: April 22, 1994, on 1,221 screens

Domestic box office: $4.3 million

Critic scores: 21 on Rotten Tomatoes

This week’s craft beer: Tower Brewing‘s Joe Seshy Session IPA (5.0% ABV)

This week’s Darer: Scott Allen

Why did Scott Allen dare Daniel and Corky to watch Brainscan? “This film stars Edward Furlong, just 3 years after Terminator 2 would make him famous. The film itself has a great concept about a fully immersible video game experience, very ahead of its time. Although it went mostly under the radar and was panned by many, the film is original and entertaining.”

IMDB synopsis: “A teenager is part of an interactive video game where he kills innocent victims. Later, the murders become real.”

This week’s referenced movies: The Warrior and the Sorceress; Yojimbo; Big Money Rustlas; Dolemite; Terminator 2: Judgment Day; Rolling Thunder; Best Seller; Lock Up; Out for Justice; Cutthroat Island; The Box; Se7en; 8MM; Sleepy Hollow; White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf; The Game; Fight Club; Rear Window; Strangers on a Train; Psycho; Vertigo; Exorcist II: The Heretic; Manhunter; Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy; Beetlejuice; The Mask; Drop Dead Fred; Cool as Ice; Summer of Sam; It’s a Wonderful Life; the A Nightmare on Elm Street films; Warcraft

Ratings for Brainscan: Daniel – Dare; Corky – Dare

RELATED CLIPS

Original theatrical trailer for Brainscan

Enter the Trickster

Brainscan behind the scenes

“Milk was a bad choice.”

“Which one of you killed my dog?”

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