Tags:
Film: Fail_Safe
Year: 2000
Director: Stephen Frears
Writer: Walter Bernstein
Starring: Walter Cronkite, Richard Dreyfuss and Noah Wyle
Review:
In this film, we get multiple stories that are going to collide in a catastrophic way. There is military war room where a congressman, played by Sam Elliot, is visiting to look over the technology. The man who created the computers that are used there is also there, played by James Cromwell. The general in charge is played by Brian Dennehy.
Another one is a conference, where we hear a doctor, played by Hank Azaria, telling what he thinks needs to be done about the possibility of war. Opposing him from the beginning is Harvey Keitel.
We meet the pilots of a bomber, who are George Clooney and Don Cheadle. They are going up on a routine mission were they circle the skies until their time is up or something happens.
Finally there is the president of the United States, played by Richard Dreyfuss, with his Russian interpreter, played by Noah Wyle.
This star studded cast, tells the tale of a malfunction that sends the fail safe code to a bomber. When they check it, they realize their mission is to drop bombs on Moscow. The failure creates a mission that cannot be stopped and it becomes the job of everyone who is involved to try and stop them.
They even include the Russians in trying to stop this, even though the distrust of each other makes it difficult, but together the mortal enemies will destroy themselves or will save the world from nuclear power.
As stated, this star-studded cast doesn’t disappoint for the most part. Their acting is solid and everyone is believable, the problem is this film is that’s it is a large play and nothing really happens. It is really about the arguing between the characters as the impending doom looms. It is the job of everyone to try and convince their point as to what is happening as some are for it while others are completely against it.
If you like the concept, I would recommend watching this. It takes place during the 50s during the height of the Cold War and you have to think of the fear that everyone was under during that time. You can keep the feeling of impending doom and the decisions that are made make you really think, what would happen if this situation would of really arose in history. I am adding this to the horror film research, because technology like this failing could end the world and that is scary.
My Rating: 6 out of 10