Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

14% of critics liked it
(29 reviews)
33% of users liked it
(50,391 ratings)

In a near-future world in which the fast-paced digital lifestyle has given rise to a worldwide plague called Nerve Attenuation Syndrome, Johnny (Keanu Reeves), a data courier, accepts an assignment that he hopes will allow him to pay for the restoration of the childhood memories he dumped in order… More In a near-future world in which the fast-paced digital lifestyle has given rise to a worldwide plague called Nerve Attenuation Syndrome, Johnny (Keanu Reeves), a data courier, accepts an assignment that he hopes will allow him to pay for the restoration of the childhood memories he dumped in order to outfit his brain with the microchip necessary for him to carry out his profession. Narrowly escaping a Yakuza ambush in which his employers are killed and the mnemonic trigger capable of unlocking the data in his brain is partially destroyed, Johnny travels from Beijing to New Jersey, where he hopes to recover the data before "neural seepage" destroys his mind. Teaming up with would-be bodyguard Jane (Dina Meyer) and a rebel group known as the LoTeks who live in an abandoned bridge, he tries to outrun the assassins of mysterious businessman Takahashi (Beat Takeshi Kitano) -- and the Street Preacher (Dolph Lundgren), a bionic madman. Along the way, he meets a mysterious electronic entity, a sentient dolphin, and Spider (Henry Rollins), a cybernetics expert, all of whom attempt, with various degrees of success, to learn why the data in Johnny's head is so important. Science fiction author William Gibson's original short story Johnny Mnemonic helped usher in the age of cyberpunk when it appeared in Omni magazine in 1981; it later appeared in the collection Burning Chrome (alongside the story that provided the basis for Abel Ferrara's New Rose Hotel). Although Gibson himself wrote the screenplay for Johnny Mnemonic, the film diverges considerably from the story. Molly Mirrors, a recurring character in Gibson's fiction, was replaced by the figure of Jane to fend off licensing conflicts with any future film version of Neuromancer, the author's most celebrated novel. Other plot elements -- most notably the LoTeks' bridge habitat -- were borrowed from later Gibson fiction such as the novel Virtual Light. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Robert Longo
Written By: William Gibson
Genres: Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: May 26, 1995 Wide
On DVD: Nov 11, 1997
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Mike Clark, USA Today
You can have a better time title-scanning Johnny pics in an alphabetical video guide than you can enduring the latest Blade Runner knockoff: Johnny Mnemonic.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Reeves showcases his considerable thesping skills in a climactic monologue about... room service.
Fred Topel, About.com
Disappointing sci-fi. Good portrayal of the implications of being a human hard drive, but little action and no real villain.
Brian J. Arthurs, Beach Reporter (Southern California)
Should have called it "Johnny Moronic"

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Tim S

Speaking of garbage cinema, here's another to add to the pile. You may like Keanu Reeves but you have to admit it - he is absolutely awful in this. We all know he's no Oliver Reed or anything, but my god, he is atrocious in his role of "Just Johnny." This is full… More
Speaking of garbage cinema, here's another to add to the pile. You may like Keanu Reeves but you have to admit it - he is absolutely awful in this. We all know he's no Oliver Reed or anything, but my god, he is atrocious in his role of "Just Johnny." This is full of bad dialogue from beginning to end, but it still has some charm to it. Maybe it's due to my love for Blade Runner and anything resembling it that I liked it, but I won't ignore how crappy it is. I enjoyed it for the most part, but it made me cringe at times, which isn't good. I hear there's an extended version floating around out there somewhere and I'd like to see it sometime. Will it remedy everything? Doubtful, but it'll be interesting nonetheless.
AJ V

I should really re-watch this movie before writing about it, I barely remember it...
Conner R

By far, this is one of the worst movies to ever exist. Not only does it beat out Waterworld and Battlefield Earth, it makes them look good in comparison. This has a crazy and incoherent plot that never has a purpose or message, when I'm sure there was supposed to be one. Aside… More
By far, this is one of the worst movies to ever exist. Not only does it beat out Waterworld and Battlefield Earth, it makes them look good in comparison. This has a crazy and incoherent plot that never has a purpose or message, when I'm sure there was supposed to be one. Aside from a few bizarre line deliveries from Keanu Reeves, it can't even be enjoyed. The effects are just out of control and some of the haircuts and styles, Johnny's in particular, are completely bonkers.
Emily A

This movie gets slammed a lot, but it was really pretty good. It was almost prophetic the way an enormous pharmaceutical company has a stranglehold on the populace, as well as how some maniac assassin practises not what he preaches. The casting was wicked in this movie too, with Henry… More
This movie gets slammed a lot, but it was really pretty good. It was almost prophetic the way an enormous pharmaceutical company has a stranglehold on the populace, as well as how some maniac assassin practises not what he preaches. The casting was wicked in this movie too, with Henry Rollins and Ice Tea. Pair that with a wicked soundtrack and this movie stacks up better than you'd think. *MarchMMX* I watched this again recently and again have nothing but good things to say about it. It's a complete delight from start to finish, from the Chinese actors' phonetic pronouncement of thier English dialogue to Keanu Reeves' angry rant atop a garbage pile. I think it is also bolstered by a real quaintness to what they though would have been futuristic in 1995. Johnny needs to put on a VR helmet and "data gloves" to navigate the intricate 3D world - of dial-up internet. Absolutely wonderful. I was also blown away again by the fearsome light-saber-wire that the villain has implanted in his thumb. I guess you had to see it.
Wahida K

The hottest data on earth. In the coolest head in town.
Al S

A sensational and wickedly cool cyber-edged sci-fi edge of your seat thriller with fantastic speacial effects and explosive action. A spectacular, dazzelingly original and pulse-pounding ride that will blow your mind. It kick starts the senses and shows great set pieces in a high-tech… More
A sensational and wickedly cool cyber-edged sci-fi edge of your seat thriller with fantastic speacial effects and explosive action. A spectacular, dazzelingly original and pulse-pounding ride that will blow your mind. It kick starts the senses and shows great set pieces in a high-tech world. A eye-popping and exhilerating science-fiction creation. It's big, dumb and really fun. It is a cult classic none the less but it has some really over the top acting from an incrediable mis-casted flick. Especially with Dolph Lundgren as a hitman preacher who looks like Jesus, which makes the film very laughable but he is not alone, Henry Rollins as a doctor, more to laugh at. Lundgren still gives an outragiously memorable performance. But its defiantely in the so bad its good category. But i still loved it, the film is still very entertaining and fun to watch.
Anthony L

Even Takeshi Kitano couldn?t save this rubbish film!
Kylie B

I'm not entirely sure where I sit with this. A lot has been changed from the story, sometimes to make it more visually stimulating, but other changes seem to drag it down. I like the cyberspace graphics; even though they're dated now considering that the film is over 10… More
I'm not entirely sure where I sit with this. A lot has been changed from the story, sometimes to make it more visually stimulating, but other changes seem to drag it down. I like the cyberspace graphics; even though they're dated now considering that the film is over 10 years old and the story more like 20 they fit perfectly with the future-vision of the period. And they're pretty colourful, which keeps me happy. Jones hasn't been cut out (he was my favourite part of the original), the Lo-Teks are different but still pretty well done, and some of the new material worked reasonably well. The performances are erratic and rather over the top, but this isn't necessarily terrible (though it doesn't exactly help that the most pleasing performance comes from a dolphin which may or may not be animatronic). However, what I really disliked was Jane's character, who is essentially Molly ripped about so badly that she loses any compelling qualities, and even attempts to make her sympathetic by giving her a nervous disease don't work. To sum it up, it's not that great, but it wasn't the pile of stool water that I feared after reading the 'official' reviews.
Phil H

When I first saw this flick I did quite like it but that was waaaaay back when I was a mere silly teen hehe On the design and looks front its not too bad, it does look futuristic and bleak with lots of neon everywhere (Blade Runner ripped..check) Kier is always a good character actor… More
When I first saw this flick I did quite like it but that was waaaaay back when I was a mere silly teen hehe On the design and looks front its not too bad, it does look futuristic and bleak with lots of neon everywhere (Blade Runner ripped..check) Kier is always a good character actor and Lundgren does put in a great hammy peformance as the nutter priest who likes to kill anyone and everyone but thats it, nothing more. The rest of the cast is very poor and second rate, including Reeves who is always shit, and the plot is messed up, much like fellow distopian futuristic flop 'Barb Wire'.
Sanjaya &

What a surprise that before played in The Matrix, Keanu already starred in this movie which is tell about the future... His performance in this movie still below standard, but at least I'm glad that he trying his best in this movie and he's doing great... The story itself… More
What a surprise that before played in The Matrix, Keanu already starred in this movie which is tell about the future... His performance in this movie still below standard, but at least I'm glad that he trying his best in this movie and he's doing great... The story itself got a little confusing in the beginning because the explanation of what happening in that world just explained by a long text which is for me not effective... But then, the story got more interesting and the compliment should be given to Keanu who did pretty good job in this movie...
Tim S

Keanu Reeves in the prequel to the Matrix.
jay n

this is an awful movie, beware!
danny d

decent but boring at times
xGary X

Extremely daft curiosity featuring Keanu's first venture into cyberspace. The whole cyber punk ethic looks very dated and a bit silly now, but the eclectic cast (including Kiteshi Kitano) makes it worth a look.
Michael G

So bad its bad. Keanu is hilarious though...
Dean M

Before he entered The Matrix, Keanu Reeves was Johnny Mnemonic. And Dolph Lundgren appeared as the supporting.
Burger S

***Henry Rollins***
Steven V

This movie rules. Good movie. It's all about the people with the lazer cocaine thumb.
Joseph E

A Film as if Phillip K. Dick Directed it himself!
Curt C

I didn't know you could make below-average cyberpunk. Now I know.