Rating of
3/4
Has a "Fugitive" feel to it
The M.O.W. - wrote on 08/02/08
"Eddie Kasalivich" (Keanu Reeves) is a brilliant student mechanist working at the University of Chicago as part of a team who are working on creating a cheap, clean energy from bubble fusion. One day, working at his home, he happens upon an audio frequency which causes a mini reactor to act the way the team has been trying for months.
The next day, they try doing what "Eddie" did on the full-scale reactor, and it works.
After the party that came about after the discovery, "Eddie" escorts scientist "Lily Sinclair" (Rachel Weisz) home and returns to the lab to pick up his motorcycle. He sees a white van driving away and hears alarms go off inside the lab. When he gets in the lab, the reactor is on and he finds "Dr. Alistair Barkly" (Nicholas Rudall) bound and blindfolded. He also finds a bomb. It's too late to save "Dr. Barkly" and he bolts from the building. The resulting explosion is so big that the FBI is called in by the President.
What "Eddie" doesn't expect is that somebody has framed him. So he, along with "Lily", go on the lam and try to not only try to run from the FBI, lead by "FBI Agent Ford" (Fred Ward), and those behind the frame-up,
For me, this film has the feel of "The Fugitive". Both have a framed person on the run from Federal agents and those who are actually behind the crime the accused is trying to uncover.
There are some good performances in this film, especially from Morgan Freeman and Keanu Reeves. Ward also did a good job, but, like Freeman, he really wasn't used in the movie too much. Rachel Weisz is fine in her role, but it really appeared that her role was not well written. In fact, "Eddie" and "Lily's" relationship went nowhere.
There are some problems with the script. Like I said above, the "Eddie"/"Rachel" relationship was not expanded on. The "FBI agents" were also poorly written. In fact, I seriously doubt that any FBI agent would spend more time in the office as the ones in this film did. I am certain that FBI agents would hit the pavement and gather leads. Yes, you see local police on the chase. And you see some undercover FBI agents setting up surveillance, but you don't see the FBI mainly in their command center.
There is a lot of suspense in this film, and some good action (chase) scenes. The action scenes are spread out through out the film enough for a good breather for the audience.
Music is used well in this film, but it is not memorable. In fact, the music is typical instrumentals and is only there to enhance the shock value.
I would say this would be a good fourth choice (minimum) if your first choice for a movie rental is not available.
