It’s science fiction, about researchers meddling with things they
shouldn’t meddle with — they’re tapping into the five senses of
perception, so one person literally experiences brief moments from
another person’s life. The first half of the movie is thoughtful and
fun, and then it gets thoughtful and scary.

Is it dated? Sure. It was the 1980s: Sexual harassment in the
workplace is treated as a running joke. The computers and monitors were
cutting-edge then, but now seem comically huge and primitive. There’s an
extended ‘hacking’ sequence that’s ludicrous, even by the normal
standards of hacking as it’s presented in movies and on TV. But it’s
still a solid story, that tackles big themes, asks big questions, and
answers them credibly.

The movie has an oddly unWalken performance from Christopher Walken —
he’s lovable, not even slightly creepy, and doesn’t do his usual
sing-song voice. It’s Natalie Wood’s last role, and she’s great, but her
character seems a little crimped (probably because the actress died
during filming). There’s also a completely kick-ass Louise Fletcher, and
no Roman Polanski at all. Recommended.
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