I have not seen the original film nor have I read the book although I enjoy Michael Crighton but they advertised this enough to make me record it on TV and I'm glad I did because despite it's three plus hour length it is quite well done. Sadly it does still have some of the made for TV ingredients that happens to befall it but overall the strong writing and good story wins through. For being a TV film although a cable TV film there was plenty of violent and disturbing scenes necessary to make the movie work. I think with a different cast and bigger budget this could have been a very successful Hollywood film as it once was in the seventies. Still, for people who aren't familiar with the original movie or story as I was not then you will especially enjoy this as a new experience. Director Mikael Salomon is no stranger to film and Television. He has done some really brilliant work both as director and cinematographer and his talent shows. In fact I think part of what makes this film better than most TV movies is Salomon's talent. The cinematography in many cases for the movie is stunning and disturbing. The scientists making their way through a town street of dead, decaying bodies and it's shocking.
I don't dislike Benjamin Bratt, in fact I have really enjoyed some of his performances. Anyone that remembers the classic Stallone film Demolition Man will remember Bratt's small but very cheesy, straight faced performance as Alfredo Garcia and many of Bratt's lines delivered in this film reminded me of that cheesy performance. But overall he does a good job as leading man and he's pretty convincing as the leader of a group of biological scientists. Anyone missing Will and Grace will very much enjoy seeing Eric McCormack back in action as addict/reporter Jack Nash. I say this because the performance is Will, but hooked on drugs. Sure there is a little more action and they start establishing his addiction but never really go anywhere with it. Still he's good and fun to watch as an anti hero. I loved seeing Daniel Dae Kim (who Lost fans will immediately recognize) in a different role from Lost where he actually speaks English. Kim gives a subtle but very good performance as the very intelligent and straight laced scientist Dr. Tsi Chou who also is given an interesting back story without it ever really going anywhere. Viola Davis is very good as the family woman and scientist Dr. Charlene Barton. She doesn't get a chance to shine but she could have and shows some strong potential in the role. Christa Miller is mostly put in place to be a misplaced love interest for Bratt's character. She might be a good actor but she's given virtually nothing other than Bratt's lips. Rick Schroder gives perhaps one of the best performances but still under used as tough as nails Major Bill Keane. He really is great in the role and gives Bratt a good nemesis. Terrific character actor Andre Braugher does a good job playing a bit of a confusing character as far as walking the line between good and evil.
There is a lot of characters in the film and they really do try to give them depth and back stories and you can't blame them for that. It's only a slight downside because there is so much story and they don't get time to develop any of those sub stories because so much time has to be spent going after the main story which is the virus. Even still the story moves at a great pace and you never feel like it's dragging despite the fact that it could have been reduced. So much of the film takes place below the earth in their scientific compound but the thrill is still full force as they balance that out with scenes from the surface and the infected area and the Government trying to deal with it. Combine political thriller with science fiction disease and it makes for a very entertaining film that isn't perfect but certainly counts as one of the better more entertaining TV Movies I have seen in quite some time. 8/10
I don't dislike Benjamin Bratt, in fact I have really enjoyed some of his performances. Anyone that remembers the classic Stallone film Demolition Man will remember Bratt's small but very cheesy, straight faced performance as Alfredo Garcia and many of Bratt's lines delivered in this film reminded me of that cheesy performance. But overall he does a good job as leading man and he's pretty convincing as the leader of a group of biological scientists. Anyone missing Will and Grace will very much enjoy seeing Eric McCormack back in action as addict/reporter Jack Nash. I say this because the performance is Will, but hooked on drugs. Sure there is a little more action and they start establishing his addiction but never really go anywhere with it. Still he's good and fun to watch as an anti hero. I loved seeing Daniel Dae Kim (who Lost fans will immediately recognize) in a different role from Lost where he actually speaks English. Kim gives a subtle but very good performance as the very intelligent and straight laced scientist Dr. Tsi Chou who also is given an interesting back story without it ever really going anywhere. Viola Davis is very good as the family woman and scientist Dr. Charlene Barton. She doesn't get a chance to shine but she could have and shows some strong potential in the role. Christa Miller is mostly put in place to be a misplaced love interest for Bratt's character. She might be a good actor but she's given virtually nothing other than Bratt's lips. Rick Schroder gives perhaps one of the best performances but still under used as tough as nails Major Bill Keane. He really is great in the role and gives Bratt a good nemesis. Terrific character actor Andre Braugher does a good job playing a bit of a confusing character as far as walking the line between good and evil.
There is a lot of characters in the film and they really do try to give them depth and back stories and you can't blame them for that. It's only a slight downside because there is so much story and they don't get time to develop any of those sub stories because so much time has to be spent going after the main story which is the virus. Even still the story moves at a great pace and you never feel like it's dragging despite the fact that it could have been reduced. So much of the film takes place below the earth in their scientific compound but the thrill is still full force as they balance that out with scenes from the surface and the infected area and the Government trying to deal with it. Combine political thriller with science fiction disease and it makes for a very entertaining film that isn't perfect but certainly counts as one of the better more entertaining TV Movies I have seen in quite some time. 8/10