Hannon Fuller, a distinguished computer scientist, has made a discovery that will change the world around him...and will him to the attention of those who would go to any lengths to silence him. He leaves a message with a bartender in a virtual reality simulation he has been testing...but when he leaves the virtual reality and tries to contact someone to pass his secret along, he is murdered brutally. When the police begin to investigate, one of their prime suspects is Douglas Hall, Fuller's second-in-command at his computer research company. All the evidence seems to point to Hall, but he doesn't remember committing a murder. But as Hall digs deeper, he finds he can't remember anything at all - he has no idea where he was or what he was doing when Fuller was killed. With no alibi, Hall is arrested, but a woman claiming to be Fuller's daughter clears his name and he is released, though the detective handling the case is still suspicious. Hall decides to "jack in" to the virtual reality himself, trying to find any clues Fuller may have left. Even though he helped develop the technology, Hall is stunned by the realism of the simulation. He finds a character in the simulation who bears a stunning resemblance to Fuller, but the character knows nothing of his late alter-ego. But as he tries to clear his own name in a real-life murder case, why is Douglas Hall suddenly confronted with a murderous stalker in this artificial reality?

A nifty attempt at a sci-fi noir flick (produced by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich of Independence Day and Godzilla fame), The Thirteenth Floor features a storyline which will be familiar to anyone who's recently overdosed on Star Trek holodeck episodes, particularly the Next Generation classic Ship in a Bottle. However, Thirteenth Floor goes light on the tech-exposition and concentrates on the effect this revelation has on the characters in the simulation and the so-called real world. There is a healthy FX budget, but this story really only requires a shot in the arm for period costuming, props and sets. Thirteenth Floor's source material is a Daniel Galouye novel which, if I remember correctly (I haven't been able to track down a date of publication), pre-dates not only Star Trek: The Next Generation but the original series as well.

There are a few predictable moments and dead giveaways. When Whitney was killed in the simulation and his real-life body woke up with the personality of his evil alter-ego, I knew how the movie would end for Craig Bierko's character. Bierko is okay in his various roles. He's nothing if not versatile (we're talking about the lead player in a current Broadway run of The Music Man, for crying out loud, in addition to playing Lister in Universal Studios' aborted attempt to translate the BBC SF series Red Dwarf into an American-digestible form). But at the same time, it's hard to picture Bierko as a bad-ass in those scenes where that is called for. (Then again, it was hard to picture Keanu Reeves as the prodigal son of cyberspace in The Matrix, so maybe casting against type works.)

I'm not sure anyone's really going to win any acting awards here. Dennis Haysbert plays the part of Detective McBain in a way that screams "We really wanted Samuel L. Jackson for this part." Vincent D'Onofrio and Gretchen Mol do a very good job of making their own multiple roles distinct, and stand out fairly well. Armin Mueller-Stahl does perhaps the best job, playing Fuller as a man with a haunting secret, and playing his own bewildered cyberspace alter-ego as a man bemused by the sudden unexplained incidents in his life.

The music also deserves a special mention, spanning everything from typical action fare to techno to 1930s swing. The end credits are accompanied by Erase/Rewind, the best song I've ever heard emitted by the Cardigans.

It's actually a decently little movie you might want to check out. The concept has been used by any number of other movies and shows, but this one at least has a little style and charm all its own.

• screenplay by Josef Rusnak & Ravel Centeno-Rodriguez
  based upon the novel Simulacron 5 by Daniel F. Galouye
• directed by Josef Rusnak
• music by Harald Kloser
  additional music by Thomas Wanker
• Cast: Craig Bierko (Douglas Hall/Johnny Ferguson/David), Armin Mueller-Stahl (Hannon Fuller/Grierson), Gretchen Mol (Jane Fuller/Natasha Molinaro), Vincent D'Onofrio (Whitney/Ashton), Dennis Haysbert (Detective Larry McBain), Steve Schub (Zev Bernstein), Jeremy Roberts (Tom Jones), Rif Hutton (Joe), Leon Rippy (Jane's Lawyer), Janet MacLachlan (Ellen), Brad Henke (Cop #1), Burt Bulos (Bellhop), Venessia Valentino (Concierge), Howard S. Miller (Chauffeur), Tia Texada (Natasha's roommate), Shiri Appleby (Bridget Manilla), Robert Clendenin (Bank manager), Rachel Winfree (Bank customer), Meghan Ivey (Chanteuse), Alison Lohman (Honey Bear girl), Hadda Brooks (Lounge piano player), Ron Boussom (Maitre'd), Ernie Lively (30s cop), Toni Sawyer (Grierson's wife), Brooks Almy (Bridget's Mom), Darryl Henriques (Cab driver), Suzanne Harrer (Tired dancer), Lee Weaver (30s limo driver), Geoffrey Rivas (Security guard), Travis Tedford (Newspaper boy), Jeff Blumenkrantz (Choreographer), Andrew Alden (Doorman), Johnny Crawford (Singer)