Not a bad movie at all, although it's a typical TV movie made for the 1970's, it's still entertaining to watch because it highlights all of the paranoia that gripped the US at the time. Government conspiracy theorists, terrorism, environmental concern over nuclear power, those terrified at the prospect of computers taking over our lives and lastly all those under 30 (don't trust anybody over the age of 30) will find this trip down memory lane quite nostalgic. It's sort of the PARALLAX VIEW (1974), THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979), the 1970 shocker THE FORBIN PROJECT and 'TWILIGHTS LAST GLEAMING (1977) all rolled into one. However today, in the light of a renewed fear of terrorism I would have thought that this movie would aroused greater attention.
After an explosion at a Minnesota nuclear power plant the computer at the main control center in Colorado (cheezeley named PROTEUS, nowadays it would probably be called BLUEBERRY or something) decides to go into emergency mode and seals of the reactor to the outside world. Unfortunately, twelve men working near the reactor are unable to escape and perish due to the toxic gas being released. The rest of the plant workers (all under the age of 30) are horrified at the lack of compassion showed by central command and insist that the environment is free from radiation.
However, central control run by the straight-back company man Henry Stone has other ideas. Stone(played brilliantly by normally goody-goody actor of the Walton fame Ralph Waite) insists that what the computer says goes, and that the problem has to be solved "by the book". Unfortunately, the local trouble shooting team that is on hand is led by the craggy-faced Frank Brolin (William Devine) who is despised by Stone.
The sparring between these two is entertaining and only exposes why the two men loath one another. Brolin does not take Stone seriously and also publicly mocks him in front of the other younger workers. Brolin, is a practical think on your feet man who is respected by the plant workers, this is in sharp contrast to Stone who is despised by his subordinates because he is a pompous control freak who would not tie his shoe laces unless the computer ordered him to! Brolin, by deductive reasoning concludes that the computer has probably malfunctioned and despite Stones protestations decides to take matters into his own hands . Brolin enters the reactor and is shocked to discover that he only has a few minutes to avert a major nuclear catastrophe. After a while the younger members of central command who have sat back and let Stone and colossus make one wrong decision after another conclude that the only way they can help Brolin is also take matters into there own hands. They finally pluck up enough courage to ignore his orders and assist in helping Brolin Save the day.
Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Brandon are also in support, so overall it's a pretty good cast. Not as heavy hitting as the later CHINA SYNDROME, never the less it's overlooked and deserves better treatment. A DVD release is overdue for a movie that really brought to peoples attention the possible hazards of terrorism combined with the problem of Nuclear power and computers!
After an explosion at a Minnesota nuclear power plant the computer at the main control center in Colorado (cheezeley named PROTEUS, nowadays it would probably be called BLUEBERRY or something) decides to go into emergency mode and seals of the reactor to the outside world. Unfortunately, twelve men working near the reactor are unable to escape and perish due to the toxic gas being released. The rest of the plant workers (all under the age of 30) are horrified at the lack of compassion showed by central command and insist that the environment is free from radiation.
However, central control run by the straight-back company man Henry Stone has other ideas. Stone(played brilliantly by normally goody-goody actor of the Walton fame Ralph Waite) insists that what the computer says goes, and that the problem has to be solved "by the book". Unfortunately, the local trouble shooting team that is on hand is led by the craggy-faced Frank Brolin (William Devine) who is despised by Stone.
The sparring between these two is entertaining and only exposes why the two men loath one another. Brolin does not take Stone seriously and also publicly mocks him in front of the other younger workers. Brolin, is a practical think on your feet man who is respected by the plant workers, this is in sharp contrast to Stone who is despised by his subordinates because he is a pompous control freak who would not tie his shoe laces unless the computer ordered him to! Brolin, by deductive reasoning concludes that the computer has probably malfunctioned and despite Stones protestations decides to take matters into his own hands . Brolin enters the reactor and is shocked to discover that he only has a few minutes to avert a major nuclear catastrophe. After a while the younger members of central command who have sat back and let Stone and colossus make one wrong decision after another conclude that the only way they can help Brolin is also take matters into there own hands. They finally pluck up enough courage to ignore his orders and assist in helping Brolin Save the day.
Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Brandon are also in support, so overall it's a pretty good cast. Not as heavy hitting as the later CHINA SYNDROME, never the less it's overlooked and deserves better treatment. A DVD release is overdue for a movie that really brought to peoples attention the possible hazards of terrorism combined with the problem of Nuclear power and computers!