Menno's Mind

A typically cheap sci-fi thriller from the late 1990s, not bad but not particularly great either. The plotting is kind of cheesy although the heroine is sufficiently ruthless and ass-kicking to be of interest. The virtual reality stylings have inevitably dated over the years although the B-grade action isn't too bad. The best thing about this is the all-star cast including STAR TREK veterans Michael Dorn and Robert Picardo, a cameoing Bruce Campbell as a resistance fighter, and both Corbin Bernsen and Robert Vaughn as baddies. Not the worst of its kind.

The basic premise, a brain transplant and the subsequent implications of having someone else's memory as well as your own, has potential to be a very good movie. This one seems, however, to have been written by committee and does not live up to its premise. Most memorable aspect is the future answer to a trivia question: What movie featured a brain transplant from one actor named Campbell to another, neither of whom were related to each other? The thrills are minor, the outcome predictable, and the bad guys' characters have the depth of a single molecule. Robert Vaughn does a particularly poor job as the worst bad guy. Both Campbells play their stock characters adequately, but everyone seems to be going through the motions and the movie lacks energy. The computer effects are cheesy and unoriginal. All in all, boring.

It's not every day that a sci-fi movie can be described as fun. This one was fun, entertaining, fast-paced, & had a sense of humor to it. I look forward to seeing more films by Mr. kroll (director). My hat goes off to the cast and crew for bringing this film to life with a good story, good acting, and vivid color. Again, my grade...A+

Menno's Mind makes me wonder, for perhaps the thousandth time, why the Campbell boys (Bill and Bruce) don't get more work. Both of them, though Bruce has a very small part, are great at making you like the character they play. This movie, while not Citizen Kane, does have an original plot and likeable characters, and that's enough to make it worth watching.