Thirteenth Floor, The (UK)

"I think, therefore I am". Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure? I was. That is, until I`ve seen "The Thirteenth Floor".
I am tempted to categorize this movie as a sci-fi, but I can`t. It has a little of that, of course, but it also has a nice "warm" feeling that makes it more "down to Earth".
I will not even try to explain the story here. The best way to watch the movie is with as little prelimanary knowledge as possible. The plot is layered (pun intended) but the layers are coherent and the movie actually manages to make sense.
The disc is presented in a nice 1:2.35 transfer which is very good.
The DD 5.1 sound is great, especially in the ... sequences (sorry, telling would be a major spoiler).
This extra features include:
- The audio commentary is very informative.
- The before and after special effects segment is stunning (do NOT watch it prior to watching the movie, though).
- The art gallery and the filmographies are also very nice.
- The Cardigans video clip is great.
To sum it up, if you are into not-so-ordinary plots, this movie would fit you like a glove. The phrase "layer transition may trigger a slight pause" is given a whole new meaning in the movie.

"The Thirteenth Floor" revisited - December 2004
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It`s been almost four and a half years since I first reviewed this movie. Watching it for the 2nd time only brought back a lot of memories as to why I found it so great back then.
It`s original, almost film-noir-like with a great combination of drama, suspense and sci-fi.
Knowing what I already knew about the movie did not ruin the experience at all, thus, this is certainly a movie worthwhile watching for a 2nd and 3rd time.

a boring scifi film with twists and turns but so pointless and gos nowhere slowly.

The only thing bad about this film is its Title! Whoever decided to call it "The Thirteenth Floor" needs shooting! Makes it sound like a dodgy 80s B horror flick...which of course it isnt. Another one of the sci-fi films that makes you "Think" by the end of it..dealing with similar ideas as the film "The Matrix" without the fancy over-the top effects of the affore mentioned film. Supprisingly easy to get into, although slow at first as the story evolves, The film splits btween modern day and 1930s LA....to tell you anymore would spoil the film...it becomes intriguing and interesting. The sound track is the usual 5.1 DD which is put to good use. A generous helping of extras and nice overall packaging make this a film to look out for. Reccomended.

Question reality. You can go there even though it doesn`t exist.

A slick Sci-Fi thriller that probably will leave you asking more questions after you see it than before you started watching. Although this was a sleeper in the theaters this well put together DVD presentation should give this taut thriller a broader audience.

A rather unusual thing about`The Thirteenth Floor` is the almost complete lack of special effects. There are no CGI animated creatures, no bullets in slow motion. This is a more philosophical approach, reminding about the European way of filmmaking. This is off course a major disappointment to the audience that is used to endless gunfights and mutated amphibians, but the more serious science fiction buffs and `Dark City`-fans will be pleased. This film is interesting and inspiring. It has everything eXistenZ doesn`t, but it lacks the immediacy and intensity of The Matrix. And then there is a happy end which, like in `Dark City`, completely alienates it from the rest of the story and context. The plot itself is not as original as the filmmakers want us to think, since they have virtually sucked out all information from the best science fiction classics, including Blade Runner and `Dark City` . With this in mind,`The Thirteenth Floor` doesn`t make an Oscar candidate or a film that will be remembered a year from now, yet this is a beautiful, elegant and intelligent take on virtual reality.

The underlying story here is a pretty complicated one and those who are looking to grab a bucket of popcorn and be mindlessly entertained by special effects for two hours are going to be disappointed. I will also warn that most of these actors are fairly new and although they did a pretty good job I wasn`t blown away by their abilities. They carried the story off well, but I didn`t find myself eager to track down their previous works. However, the most annoying thing about this DVD was the fact that the 5.1 sound for the movie had to be accessed from the main menu instead of defaulting or being changed with the audio button on the remote and the subtitles defaulted to on. But even with these drawbacks this DVD is one worth owning and watching when you get a quiet moment.

If you enjoy Sci-Fi or murder mysteries then at least give this one a rent, but if you also like thinking about the concept of reality then go straight to buying mode and give yourself a special treat.