Here is yet another film based on a great story idea, yet didn't quite reach the heights you'd think it would. Here's another of my randomly chosen movies off of my movie channels which sounded really good from the description and had the plus of starring Morgan Freeman.

Paul Shannon (Morgan Freeman) is the assistant director on a ground-breaking project for producing hydrogen fuel...not just producing it, mind you, but making it self-sustaining so it would cost next to nothing once the appropriate equipment was in place and of course burn perfectly clean unlike fuels currently in use. Unfortunately on the eve of their triumph, directly after finding the correct frequencies to realize their dream, a massive explosion obliterates five city blocks and their director is lost in the inferno.

But...one person knows that it wasn't just an accident. Project manager Eddie Kasalivich (Keanu Reeves) was there right before the blast. His co-worker Lily Sinclair (Rachel Weisz) couldn't get her car to start as everyone was leaving the victory celebration so Kasalivich saw her home on the bus and made sure she made it all the way home in her intoxicated state. Returning to the lab to get his motorcycle late that night he found the director on the floor with a bag over his head, obviously murdered. As Eddie raced away from the scene the entire lab evaporated in a massive explosion.

Now the FBI is in the middle of the situation due to the massive damage caused by the explosion, Shannon has been informed that it wasn't an accident, and one of the research group is missing. Then Sinclair gets a fax supposedly from the missing member telling her to meet him in Shanghai, suspicious items are found in Kasalivich's apartment, and someone just shot a police officer in front of them.

The pair are now on the run trying to figure out the truth of what happened with all available law enforcement on their heels and a strange company sending people out to apprehend them. As the action heats up Kasalivich just might learn a powerful lesson about trusting the wrong people.

I have to say it was somewhat refreshing to see Keanu Reeves in a role in which he actually showed a little bit of acting talent. I'm sorry, I know a lot of people really like his work, I've just never been impressed with it...I mean, the guy has about two facial expressions and never seems to know when to use them and always acts like he has a 2x4 strapped to his back. In this movie he did a passing good job, not great but good enough to fit.

Morgan Freeman played one of his trademark roles as the elder mentor who has the potential to turn sinister and is, as always, quite convincing. Obviously the makers of this film spent quite a bit of money on the cast; aside from the names already mentioned Joanna Cassidy plays a lesser role, Fred Ward as one of the FBI agents, and Brian Cox plays a supporting role. Overall I was pretty impressed with the cast...I always think it's funny that they seem to put some of the least experienced actors in leading roles but in the case of Reeves and Weisz at least they still had quite a bit of previous experience, just not compared to the others in the cast.

The other defining feature of this film is the special effects. Granted there are only a couple of big explosions to really judge it by but a number of scenes with lesser effects also shows it off. Apart from some definitely dramatic yet totally unrealistic scenes they did quite well in this respect.

The story line is an excellent one, I just think they tried to cram a little bit too much into it and add too many layers to some characters. Namely, Freeman's character seems to go back and forth so many times it's hard to keep him straight or really judge quite what his character is like. Luckily Freeman does an excellent job of incorporating all these facets into his character but even with that it seems almost like a number of writers just didn't agree on what he should be like and so we ended up with pieces of all the different ideas. Aside from that there were some minor character inconsistencies that didn't really take away from the overall production and some parts that seemed to drag a little too much.

Overall this is an excellent action movie that's for the most part suspenseful enough to qualify as a thriller...I think they do reveal all the secrets of the film a little too early so you can pretty much guess at the ending a half-hour in advance, but other than that it's pretty good. I'd say this is another one I'd be willing to watch again, maybe even watch a few more times, but I probably won't buy it unless I see it in the $5.50 bin at Wal-Mart.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older