Looker was ahead of its time, but indicative of the hole that Crichton dug into Science Fiction. There was a time when Sci-Fi was other epic tentpoles or intimate cinematic experiences. Some people knew what they were doing and others just used Sci-Fi as a backdrop for other kinds of stories. If anything, this is a corporate espionage story that uses Sci-Fi now Hard Science elements to tell a story. After all, James Coburn is just playing an ad exec using CG to manipulate the populace.
Susan Dey doesn’t get much to do here, but Albert Finney carries the typical Crichton lead with a sense of purpose. That being who is murdering the beautiful models of LA? The answer is only explained in the TV cut, which gets that special scene included in the special features. I want to know what movie genius got that scene cut from the film. Who eliminates a major plot point like that? It’s insane!
If anything, the film feels like it should’ve been a pilot for a longer form TV series. Sure, this is a PG film with mild nudity, but it wouldn’t need to be edited that much. Crichton’s directing efforts always left me flat, but I appreciate the thought behind his films.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Introduction and Commentary by Michael Crichton
- Deleted Scene (As Used in Network TV Version)
- Trailer
