In the 90s, there were many films about how people become better thanks to science — and it ends in disaster. But among them, Senseless (1998) stands out. Why? Because it managed to be smarter than it seemed at first glance, and does not take its viewers for fools, unlike Substance.
Yes, seriously, it is cooler than the hit body horror in at least one way: Senseless does not explain the moral of the film to the viewer ten times.
The plot of Senseless revolves around a loser student Daryl, who agrees to participate in a scientific experiment. He is pumped with a drug that enhances all his senses, but, as usual, there are side effects. Unlike the fresh Substance, where the idea of the merciless world of beauty is chewed up as if the viewer is not able to add two and two, here everything is presented with humor and without unnecessary moralizing.
The film's main strength is its irony. It doesn't force the viewer to listen to monologues about how "society is too fixated on appearance" or "we lose ourselves in pursuit of perfection." It simply shows it in action, forcing the hero to face the absurd but frightening consequences of his new "perfect" version.
Compared to Substance, which, although stylish, pronounces its message too clearly,Senseless feels more elegant. It trusts the viewer and simply tells a story where everyone will see something different. Maybe that's why it didn't become a big hit, but for those who saw it, it is one of the most important masterpieces of the "crazy" 90s.
