Brainstorm Review

An ambitious science fiction film, slightly ahead of its time in its cyberpunk themes and interesting as an early example of writer Bruce Joel Rubin’s obsession with the afterlife. Walken invents a process whereby experiences can be recorded and played back in other people’s heads, which prompts government and industrial interests to consider sordid military or pornographic applications. Louise Fletcher has a heart attack and dies while wearing the headset, and Walken becomes fascinated by the potential of sharing her death experience and sampling what comes after. Tragically blighted by the death of leading lady Natalie Wood, which caused rejigging that perhaps rendered an already complex script practically incoherent, this still has a lot of brainfood in its mix