I turned the movie on expecting crap for kids but when I actually go there I was impressed by how good and interesting it was. I loved it and would like to have it on tape. I think that if you have a chance to watch this film you should definitely go for it.
11 Reviews
A Disappointment
Malissia3 July 2002
I had hoped for several years that this work would be made into a film, and after I saw it, I wished it had not. A true mockery of a great book. The book is so much better than the film because so many parts were changed. The book was much more suspenseful, and somehow the internet became involved. I would not suggest watching this one.
So bad it almost is good again
cabardes26 March 2002
Avoid this movie if you have better things to do. The acting was uncoordinated, mechanized and almost comic like (expression of fear, expression of anger, expression of happiness from the book etc...), the dialog was banal and everything else was clothed in this conflict of self-preservation and freedom: the wife knowingly risks her family's life, just to get some house diagrams uploaded, the teenage daughter terrorizes and endangers the family because her hormones are boiling, the father seems to be living somewhere up in the stars. In fact only the son shows some kind of normal behaviour. In fact the whole film reminded me vaguely of "American Beauty", but just trying pathetically to be an exciting thriller.
Utter crap
dizzylizzy1822 July 2002
This movie is pure and utter CRAP. Do not see this if you have read the book of the same name by Lois Duncan. Read the book instead.
The movie is okay for, oh, the first ten minutes or so. And then, you realize the kids are brats, the mother is a brat grown up, and the dad is the only one who has the safety of his family in mind and has a brain bigger than a bird's. And then hell breaks lose.
I couldn't even watch this movie all the way through on TV. I turned it off because it made me wince. I definitely recommend picking up the book by Lois Duncan if you can.
The movie is okay for, oh, the first ten minutes or so. And then, you realize the kids are brats, the mother is a brat grown up, and the dad is the only one who has the safety of his family in mind and has a brain bigger than a bird's. And then hell breaks lose.
I couldn't even watch this movie all the way through on TV. I turned it off because it made me wince. I definitely recommend picking up the book by Lois Duncan if you can.
Unbelievably bad
nathanwaks4 December 1999
This has to be one of the worst films I've seen, and considering the good reviews which have been posted, I feel the need to let your viewers know what they are in for! I have to admit to being ashamed to be Australian when I discovered that the script, which is probably the worst part of this movie, apart from the directing, and some of the acting was written by Tony Morphett, a formerly distinguished Australian writer, whose work includes the excellent film, "The Last Wave" a 1977 film by Peter Weir.
The idea of a witness relocation movie is a good one, and maybe the initial book was OK, although I'm not going to read it. Unfortunately, just about everything which happens in the movie beggars belief. After about 30 minutes, the novelty (humour) of the ridiculous actions wore off, and it became an arduous trek to the final inevitable showdown.
Good luck!
The idea of a witness relocation movie is a good one, and maybe the initial book was OK, although I'm not going to read it. Unfortunately, just about everything which happens in the movie beggars belief. After about 30 minutes, the novelty (humour) of the ridiculous actions wore off, and it became an arduous trek to the final inevitable showdown.
Good luck!
Works For the Classroom
pelmore-581-81000713 November 2009
Although "the book is always better" this movie was an excellent addition to my class's experience of the novel study. After reading the novel, the movie allowed them to put faces with the characters and feel the drama visually unfold. The movie sticks closely enough to the book's plot that the kids aren't confused and disappointed, but there are also enough differences that they are intrigued. Plus, the twist at the end keeps their interest peaked! They beg me not to turn it off when class is over. They remember the book fondly after seeing the movie. In today's visually stimulated world having novels played out on screen really helps us continue to push literature. I know it sounds crazy, but it works. On that same note, some kids can not fully connect with what they've read, so being able to "really get" what happened in a novel is an awesome thing when they can watch it and catch on. Not enough movies stick to the plot enough to work in the classroom, but this one certainly does.
First grade thriller
daumas27 July 1999
Although after 40 minutes the movie goes to a common plot, the beginning of the movie is breathtaking with ups and downs all the time, with a lot of tension all over the almost 2 hours. Patrick Duffy seems to be free from "Boby Ewing" character and is good for other dense performances. Although it is a thriller with murders and tension, you don't have unecessary violence in it.
Wretched.
eponinefantine13 August 2003
I hated this adaption of Lois Duncan's book. The book wasn't her greatest work, but it was a hundred times better. The acting was dull, no character development, all they did if there was any acting was whine and be bratty. Because of all this this movie was horrible and I wouldn't recommend it at all to anyone. Don't waste your time.
I liked it
agancarz11 September 2002
I've seen the movie twice, and enjoyed both times. My parents watched it with me the second time, and they agreed that it was action-packed to the very end. I also thought the acting was very good, because the guy playing Eric Loftin was pretty scary, and he wouldn't be if there was bad acting. As to people who say its not like the book, well, has there ever been a movie that totally follows the book its based on?
Ruined a great book.
MontyGail20044 January 2006
I read the book when I was in Junior High some years back, and to this day...it's one of my favorite books and have read it since as a college student even. I didn't even know the movie existed till one day about a year ago when it aired on TV. I was thrilled to watch it until, as said in another review, the end of the first 10 minutes. This movie made you hate the characters, made the plot bland, and the acting didn't do anything for it. I know they say the movie is NEVER as good at the book..but this could be the worse case I've ever seen. If you like the book..don't bother to watch,if you think you want to watch it. Get the book.
You want the head bad guy to kill them all!
dolan4215 August 2006
This movie is worthy of MSTK3 (RIP). The only people you can possibly root for are the bad guys who are just trying to help Darwinism along. The main bad guy, played by Dominic Raacke, is good as the villain and so are some of his cohorts. I was in Germany for a vacation and he is a famous actor in a long running TV crime drama called Tatort. In that series he's quite sexy and can act his pants off. That is why I rented the movie, I recognized his name. In this movie the actors just seem to be acting vignettes with no connection to each other. Raacke is almost jolting in that he seems to be one of the few who acts as if this is a movie with a plot. The perpetual whine of the children can be summed up as "We want our privileged lives back - who cares if we are being hunted by vicious killers and innocent others are being killed because of our stupidity". I mean you really hope they bite it by mid-movie. I suggest you use this film for a riff movie and at least have some fun with it.
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