Hugh Jackman Sci-Fi Cyberpunk Thriller Is A Netflix Hidden Gem

Reminiscence originally premiered to the public in August of 2021, in a simultaneous release that saw the film playing in theaters and home streaming via the now-defunct HBO Max. While COVID vaccines had already rolled out at that point, and some areas had begun lifting mask mandates and social distancing rules, many people were still not up for a trip to the theater, leaving films like Reminiscence to bomb spectacularly.

The movie wound up taking in just over $16 million globally against an estimated production budget of $54 million, and failed to leave a mark on audiences.

The narrative of Reminiscence centers on a dystopian near-future Miami, which has been mostly destroyed by flooding as a result of man-made climate change. This creates something of a Waterworld situation in the Florida locale, as locals have reduced their cultural gatherings and work hours to evening shifts only. In the midst of this chaotic place, a pair of grizzled war veterans have launched a bizarre business that allows clients to relive memories using a complex machine that measures brain activity.

Some patrons use the service to relive happier times in their life, reminisce on lost love, or see their dead relatives with renewed clarity, while others pop in to use the machine for menial tasks like remembering where they left their keys.

When one repeat client mysteriously disappears, Nick Bannister, who runs the business, straps into the machine himself to remember his interactions with her. As the plot of Reminiscence heats up, Nick and his co-founder learn that the former client was actually on the payroll for a New Orleans drug kingpin, and that she surreptitiously stole sensitive memory files from the company’s archives.

I won’t give away too much of Reminiscence‘s plot here, though suffice it to say, the film takes a number of wild twists and turns as it builds to its thrilling conclusion. While I personally found this movie to be a lot of fun, I can see why some audiences weren’t head over heels for it, especially since it fails to live up to similar projects like Inception, Blade Runner or The Maltese Falcon. Today, Reminiscence touts a paltry 36 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, even with Hugh Jackman‘s well-received leading performance.

REVIEW SCORE

Reminiscence is well worth checking out if you’re a fan of the aforementioned sci-fi films and can’t get enough of an interesting sci-fi premise. Still, you shouldn’t expect the film to become a rewatch staple in your rotation. Reminiscence is streaming on Netflix today, for those interested in checking it out.