It’s disappointing to see performers of Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, and Louise Fletcher's caliber in a movie like this action film. Parker Barnes (Denzel Washington) is a police officer who has been convicted of murder and is incarcerated when he becomes involved in virtual reality testing centered around capturing SID 6.7, a computer-generated compilation of over 200 criminals. The programmer behind SID releases him into the real world, and Barnes is temporarily freed to hunt him down. He’s also forced to team up with Madison Carter (Kelly Lynch), who struggles to keep pace throughout the story. Barnes discovers that SID has been programmed with aspects of the personality of the man responsible for his family's tragedy, making it a deeply personal mission. When Carter’s daughter is kidnapped by SID, the film culminates in an event broadcast live on television and the internet from inside a high-rise building. Louise Fletcher's role as an executive at the company that created SID feels minimal. Crowe has the right appearance for the part, but the script gives SID a series of unfunny lines during all the action sequences. It’s hard to think of another killer who has made so many silly remarks since the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" movies. Washington, seemingly aiming to establish himself as the go-to actor for tracking down serial killers ("Fallen" and "The Bone Collector" being previous examples), is adequate in his role, attempting to elevate the film beyond a simple action movie, but the character itself doesn't allow it. Brett Leonard, known for “The Lawnmower Man” and the poorly received “Hideaway,” gets another chance to utilize his signature computer special effects. The visuals are passable, though they’re consistently overshadowed by excessive violence. The screenwriter makes questionable choices that advance the plot without logical justification – SID's programmer releases him out of anger; SID can regenerate using glass; he doesn't seem drawn to any real-life killers in his programming except for one connected to Barnes’ past. I had hoped SID would be a superhuman serial killer, leaving behind clues related to other actual criminals, but the film only offers a brief mention of Charles Manson. The amount of broken glass featured surpasses that of "Another 48 HRS," previously considered the champion in that category. There are moments of excitement during the climax as Barnes pursues SID, who then frames him for a crime and is pursued by police. The movie runs about ten minutes too long because of scenes involving Carter’s daughter, which feel like an afterthought at the end. While the computer effects are decent, Crowe does his best with what he's given, but Leonard’s direction lacks any real drive; his camera work is scattered and doesn’t make good use of his abilities due to a script that feels predetermined in every scene. During the climax, when SID seizes control of a television broadcast to commit an on-air killing, we see viewership numbers increase—a commentary from one medium criticizing another. I don't need a violent film to point out the excessive violence already present on TV and online; it’s akin to a performer in adult entertainment lecturing about how women are objectified in strip clubs. Stripping away all the special effects, explosions, and flashy elements reveals an unremarkable movie propped up by a talented cast.

Source on TMDB