Memory

I don't know why this is going round as a horror movie, it's not even close. Memory is a thriller and a passable one at that.

Billy Zane, Dennis Hopper, Tricia Helfer and Ann-Margret star in this clever though ultimately flawed little tale of a man recieving premonitions and his efforts to decipher them.

This is evidence once again that Billy Zane is one of Hollywoods most underrated, underutilised and underappreciated actors. The man can do it all yet gets stuck with wall to wall b-movies.

Memory has some nice ideas but fails to present them very well, it's one of those films that could have been great if handled by the right people but alas wasn't.

Decent enough effort but should have been better.

The Good:

Cast deliver

Some nice ideas

The Bad:

Generic delivery

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Billy Zane needs more appreciation

Dennis Hopper CAN do roles without coming across as weird and/or disturbing

Taylor Briggs (Billy Zane) accidentally cuts himself whist checking on a dying patient and starts experiencing bizarre phenomenons/ memories that he wants to solve. Mediocre for a first time director, not as bad as ratings perceive. Kinda surprised legendary actor Dennis Hopper was in this underground thriller definitely a pleasant thing! I absolutely love the flashing images in several parts and the peaceful music!

Memory: unforgivably stupid plot, nonsensical action and motivations, terrible performances from everyone but Dennis Hopper, male "characters" are defined by alcohol and sex obsession + vague, cartoonish nobility, female characters have no attributes, music is cheap and overbearing, editing is distractingly shoddy, much of the action is literally the lead character reading exposition aloud to himself, and it's never at all thrilling. There's a very small amount of stupid fun in the film's preposterous conclusion, but all things considered, Memory isn't really worthy of complete sentences. -TK 10/31/10

I had never heard of "Memory" till I purchased it on a 4-movie "Horror Collector's Set" DVD from the bargain bin. In addition to "Memory," the other three movies on the DVD were Tobe Hooper's "Mortuary," "Wages of Sin" and "Bloody Mary." "Mortuary" wasn't too bad but the other two films were flat-out awful, so by the time I sat down to watch "Memory" I really wasn't expecting much. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be the best movie on the DVD, even though it certainly isn't what I would consider a "Horror" movie. "Memory" is a fine mystery/suspense thriller along the lines of a James Patterson story (think "Kiss the Girls" or "Along Came A Spider") with some occasional horrific overtones.

Billy Zane of "Titanic" stars as Taylor, a researcher for a pharmaceutical company who is accidentally exposed to an unknown drug compound while in Brazil for a convention. When he returns home to Boston, he begins having disturbing flashbacks of a masked person in a black cloak, dark forests, and little girls. Disturbed by these visions, he begins to do some research on the powder he touched and it turns out that Indian tribes in the Amazon have been using it for thousands of years to see other people's memories, through their own eyes. Unfortunately for Taylor, the person whose memories he's now "sharing" happens to be a psycho who's been kidnapping and killing little girls for the past 30 years without being caught. With the help of his artist girlfriend (Tricia Helfer of "Battlestar Galactica") and two family friends (the late great Dennis Hopper and Ann-Margret) he takes it upon himself to unravel the mystery and stop the masked kidnapper before he can claim yet another new victim. As his investigation moves along, it seems that the killer also has a connection to Taylor's past that he has never suspected.

Though this was obviously a low budget film (from a first time writer/director) "Memory" is a nice looking film and a tight, fast moving effort. The veteran cast turns in fine performances all around, and the twists and turns of the plot will keep the viewer guessing till its creepy finale in the kidnapper's lair. This is also the coolest set piece in the movie, a cavernous building loaded with scary looking mannequins and bizarre scrawlings on the walls. I thought I had the ending figured out early on but as it turns out, the filmmakers threw me a curve ball that I wasn't expecting. Horror fans will probably be disappointed by this flick (as I said, it really doesn't belong on a "Horror" DVD) but fans of psychological thrillers should be pleased with this little known gem.

"Memory" can apparently be found cheaply wherever bargain DVDs are sold so I would recommend checking it out. Just a tip, if you happen to buy it on the same "Horror Collector's Set" that I did, skip the other three movies on it and go right to this one.

I almost did not rent this movie due to the art on the DVD jacket, which is similar to the horror genre, but I gave it a look-see just in case. I'm glad I did.

Even though I had the baddie figured out early on in the movie, I found the concept of genetic memories with a different slant in a movie to be interesting. I wish more had been added into this subject regarding the powder and the Indians, which would have given this movie more of a smart flash.

Regardless, I did enjoy the performances of Zane, Margaret and Hopper. I was pleasantly surprised to see Zane with more meat on his bones and is becoming a more seasoned actor. Of course, from a female perspective, I certainly didn't turn away when he took his shirt off! He's still hot. I think that this threesome made a very good complimentary combination together, and would like to see other movies similarly cast.

The movie didn't really drag too much in my opinion as other comments made here. There are more visuals than explaining dialog/narrative, which were all very well done. If more dollars could have gone into this movie, it would have been a bigger box office seller. The talent was definitely there in the casting, directing, audio and visuals, but stops a wee short in lacking the extra substance, such as what I've mentioned ... something more about the genetic memory angle.

All in all, I liked this movie and recommend the rental fee, and enjoy some popcorn.