Limitless
2011 · Directed by Neil Burger
Original language: English
- thriller
- mystery
- science fiction
The story
The life of an unsuccessful writer is transformed by a top-secret 'smart drug' that allows him to use 100% of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life.
What it’s like
Glossy, high-contrast New York at night: rain-slicked streets reflecting sodium lights, glassy skyscrapers and cold office interiors, all shot in restless handheld movement that tightens as the protagonist's mind speeds up. Frequent quick cuts, time-lapse skylines and blurred crowd motion give the sense of a head running too fast, while the grade leans teal and amber with sharp digital clarity. The score is a propulsive electronic pulse that drops into hushed piano during quieter beats. Its vibe is sleek, jittery ambition with a creeping paranoia, best suited to a late-night watch or a fast-paced evening with friends. The pace is brisk and the register is glossy thriller, with the lead's transformation from drifting to commanding handled as a slick power fantasy shadowed by menace. Violence is occasional and fairly brief, with some scuffles, a few shootings and one stalking-driven threat, but nothing gory; there is drug use and dark moral tension without graphic depictions. It suits viewers who enjoy stylish, high-energy thrillers about self-improvement gone wrong, and who want a clever, shiny surface without heavy gore.
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