Limitless: Limited Edition SteelBook (Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Combo Pack)

This is an well-written, well-acted, cleverly directed character drama with aspects of a techno-thriller. The premise is that the protagonist, played by Bradley Cooper, gets access to a new "smart drug" of unknown provenance. Cooper convincingly switches back and forth between two different versions of Eddie Morra, interpreting the same character at two very different levels of functionality based on whether he is on or off the drug. The hypothetical drug, "NZT-48", is also handled well, at least in the sense that the question of what exactly it does and how it works doesn't dominate the story. While the movie has the form of a speculative techno-thriller built around the idea of a cognition-enhancing drug, it gives only a passing glance at the nature of cognition. "Intelligence" and "genius" are implicitly equated with improvements in attentiveness and recall, but the story never actually commits to this definition or any other. The details are left to the judgment of the audience, and this is probably the best choice they could have made, though it shifts the focus of the film toward a character study. The story's mix of danger and opportunity maintains a mostly upbeat tone around tense thriller plot points, but overall it's a bit darker than the TV series it spawned. The "unrated extended cut" adds some scenes that would obviously shift the movie from a PG-13 to an R rating, but they don't tell you anything that isn't clearly implied in the theatrical release. The extras include an alternative ending to the movie which gives the story a different final beat, but doesn't actually contradict the released version. The subsequent TV series is consistent with the movie on the same basis (though perhaps more obviously consistent with the alternative ending), and they complement each other very well.

Aimless writer takes magic pill, brain fires up completely and life is set, well... until you forget to pay your Russian loan shark.I like this movie- watched it several times. It's an escapist fantasy, no doubt: swallow a truly magic pill and problems are solved with sheer previously untapped brain power. And what does our character seek with all that power? Money, sex, more power. It's a fun little ride to watch, though there are a few things to ignore less they completely spoil the ride or even ruin the movie experience.For example, he forgets to pay his loan shark. Of course, as an author you need some kind of device to keep the action moving but 'forgetfulness' after you've established that the protagonist doesn't only 'not forget' anything, he can remember the most obscure details that seemed barely glanced in passing. The loan shark is perfectly brutal and believable. As long as you tell yourself, 'even someone with a four digit IQ can forget the details in a haze of it all', you'll be alright.Second, he's smart but he doesn't sound like it. His language is not too far removed from a common street hustler and sometimes it's really difficult to get past. Intelligent people use the right words with efficiency and economy- but I don't have a four digit IQ (whatever that means) so I have to accept that 'bling' and other less descriptive words just haven't reached my puny brain.Third, his career choice: politics. I'm a relatively liberal person but I have a hard time seeing politics as the best way to solve the world's problems, if that's where the protagonist was heading (again, it could be part of his larger plan my brain could never understand). We'll assume he's wealthy, we know he's smart, but at the end of the day anyone can tell you those with absurd wealth (e.g. Gates, Musk, Walton, etc.) have the power to make the large changes in the world- not the president. It was a let down.Fourth, his mockery of art. He learns foreign languages in no time, piano in four days, etc. I'm guessing because those are the 'soft' mental areas. In all honesty, it's strange to claim one might 'learn piano' in four days, because it's a creative endeavor and creation/expression never really stops. The same goes with foreign languages- one might gain some fluency but economic and beautiful expression... truly subjective and far from measurable. Somehow I don't think a Berlitz course, no matter how advanced, will make you the Goethe of Deutch or the Mark Twain of English- know what I mean?Fifth, I didn't like the female lead (not that she led much, women were kind of tokenized in this). Perhaps it was her blonde hair. I mean, I'm happy the two ended up back together, but still, she just didn't appeal to me. Hey Hollywood- why don't you screen actresses past me first so that I can always be happy with the actors and actresses?Heheheheh.OK, onto the good stuff.I was happy he outsmarted DeNiro's character. DeNiro plays a self-absorbed 'power-broker' (literally and figuratively) well and it's nice to see his comeuppance in the form of Bradley Cooper tenderly diagnosing his heart problem the way Spock tenderly knocks people out with the Vulcan death grip.I was happy the other NZT guy's bodygaurd didn't kill Cooper's character- especially after his girlfriend slashed his face with an ice skating shoe. I guess he figured a big scar shows character and all's forgiven or something or other.I liked that Cooper slept with his landlord's wife. She was really uptight about law school and needed to sleep it off.I liked the way Cooper handled those thugs in the NY Subway- like when he grabbed into that guy's mouth; I've never thought of that. I mean, I don't get into subway fights all the time, nor do I watch martial arts shows so it probably wouldn't have come to me, but really, thumbs in the mouth... that had to terrify that big guy- Cooper deserved to win it.I liked that he dove off a cliff without killing himself. It happened early on so that would have made a very short movie.I liked that he drove someone else's Maserati around the island like a maniac. That's what they get for letting someone else drive their Maserati and that's what the island gets for letting Maserati's on it rather than forcing everyone to take a taxi or walk. Seriously, he's practically terrorizing that island. The guy who owns that car and the fancy house is totally going to an island prison cell. I'm guessing the car belongs to a dad who's really rich and his son is crazy spoiled so the son's always getting him in trouble like that, but this time the son's probably going to get in very hot water. There's a separate movie/spinoff waiting to happen (just send the actresses to me first for pre-screening so we don't end up with that blonde).I liked Bradley Cooper's suit(s).I liked that the brother in law got shot in the head. He wasn't doing anyone any good, though he did give Cooper the pill for free so perhaps there was hope but I didn't have the patience to find out.I liked that the Russian loan shark discovered Google. If he had lived, it could have really helped him find stuff.I liked that Cooper didn't go to jail (again) for the Russian guy's killing the neighbors, shooting up the place and leaving a bloody mess. I mean, was it really his fault?I liked that Cooper finished the book fast (a lot of weight off his shoulder right there).I liked that he was able to make the Chinese waiter laugh. Shows he has a versatile sense of humor in different languages.That's about it.

This movie is intriguing, interesting, and entertaining. Lots of action and very few lulls. The violence is low-key and not very graphic (safe for those easily disturbed by that).

Ich möchte nicht großartig auf den Inhalt des Filmes eingehen, denn Geschmäcker sind nun mal verschieden - und das ist auch gut so.Dank des BluRay Formates ist das Bild gestochen scharf und der Ton ( je nach Soundsystem ) absolut bestens.Der Preis ist auch absolut vertretbar, vergleicht man den Eintrittspreis im Kino, ist ein BluRay Film ein echtes Schnäppchen.Und zudem hat man den Film jederzeit bereit zum schauen.Klare EmpfehlungDie Lieferung war super schnell und das Paket auch bestens verpackt.

+++++Bradley Cooper eccezionale, in piena ascesa nel panorama cinematografico, in un film fantascientifico molto accattivante.Il prodotto è assolutamente originale, prezzi imbattibili ed estremamente invitanti per tutti i collezionisti.-----Nulla da criticare.CONSEGNACome sempre, servizio di consegna Amazon top...meno di 24h e il prodotto è arrivato comodamente a casa!

Received the Blueray yesterday and when I opened the case, all the retaining tabs for securing the disk in place were broken, some of the remnants inside the case. Luckily the disk was undamaged but I swapped out the case and stored the disk in a proper case. You would figure that someone somewhere in the supply line would have inspected it before shipping.... otherwise I am satisfied with the purchase.

Bildgewaltig und eine beeindruckende Idee. Ein richtig toller Thriller mit toller Story und keine Minute langweilig. Schöne heile Welt die sich von einen Moment in den anderen ins Gegenteil verwandelt. Top! Kann man immer wieder anschauen. Sollte in keinem Regal fehlen. Dazu mit Bradley Cooper perfekt besetzt - Wow!! - Robert De Niro überzeugt auch als Bösewicht, wenn auch ein etwas naja... sehr softer. Schaut eher schon nach zweiter Wahl in der Besetzung aus. Dafür sind die Ganoven richtig harte Jungs.

Excellent movie I can see myself watching at least once a week for the next year. It is about the ultimate nootropic, almost the Philosopher's Stone (except that is simpler to make) and how it enhances the life of our hero; the film is excellent, but it could have been an absolute all time blockbuster with an extra twenty million or so on the budget - the story line lends itself to a trilogy.