Film buffs will want to see this stylish futuristic thriller for the opening sequence alone. Utilizing a specially designed subjective camera, director Kathryn Bigelow takes the viewer from a car into a building, up the stairs, across the roof, and over the edge in a single, astounding take. Without a cut. The scene is pure filmmaking at its most exuberant and sets the stage for this absorbing tale of virtual reality and brainwashing in a dynamic, breathtaking manner. The rest of the film is similarly flamboyant, and the climactic chase scenes through the crowds at the millennial New Year's celebration are wonderfully exciting. Bigelow, whose skill as a visual stylist was already well-evidenced by the cult favorite Near Dark (1987) and the underrated Blue Steel (1990), has outdone herself here, and the results are spectacular.