The Manhattan Project (1986)

Directed and cowritten by Woody Allen collaborator Marshall Brickman, this comedy-thriller doesn't seem to know where it wants to go or what it wants to say (other than, obviously, nuclear weapons are scary things). Christopher Collet plays an overachieving high school student who decides to show just how dangerously easy it is to construct a nuclear device. He builds one for his science fair, using his mother's relationship with a government official (John Lithgow) to sneak into a secret facility and steal plutonium. When the feds find out what's going on, they overreact in a brutish showdown that threatens nuclear annihilation of everyone within a 10-mile radius. While the movie makes some antinuke points and features a strong performance by Lithgow, it seems a little too breezy, given what's going on. --Marshall Fine Amazon.com

BRING BACK JOE TORRE

Chemistry whiz Council gives us an exhibition of public protest last seen in the 1970's. A supposed laser plant in a rural area is loaded illegally with governmental plutonium, and after being given a cursory tour by scientist Lithgow,
Council is ready to spill the beans bigtime. He methodically constructs a nuclear device, which he plans to exhibit at a statewide science fair,using a hamster project as a coverup. Meanwhile, "Uncle Sam" is hot on his trail, having discovered the missing plutonium. The mood of the film abruptly turns taut and tense, leading to several twists of uncertainty until the entire situation is resolved. One has a good feeling having seen this movie, which should attract multiple viewings by many. November 27, 2007

The movie has even more resonance after the cold war in an age of threatened suitcase bombs

While the central character in this movie is a teenager, a very smart teenager, it isn't anything like the other "science fair" movies you have seen. True, what the kid does he wants to show at a science fair and the other smart kids there have a bit of a role in the plot in addition to their purpose of adding some color and comic relief.

John Lithgow plays Dr. John Matthewson. A new business moves to town and he befriends Elizabeth Stevens (Jill Eikenberry). He takes a shine to her brilliant teenage son Paul (Christopher Collet). One of the interesting aspects of the movie is the suble way we are shown how bright Paul is and how they use his girlfriend to make him very sympathetic and human. When Paul is given a tour of the facility, he quickly sees through the cover story and decides to expose them. Now, the plan he concocts is quite over the top, but he decides to build his own, small, atomic bomb.

Paul's girlfriend, Jenny Anderman (Cynthia Nixon), helps him by distracting some folks while Paul gets his hands on the key ingredient. Again, what Paul then goes through in attempting to build the device is quite interesting, but not really possible for even a genius without very specialized equipment. It isn't the kind of stuff one can simply build on one's own. But we suspend disbelief for the movie.

Things escalate and the final sequence, of course, involves Matthewson and Paul and a bunch of government types inside the facility. This is where the plot has to ride on our sympathy for Paul. In real life, I would suspect, and in fact I would hope that once the realized that Paul hadn't yet armed his device that they would kill him before he could. But that would be too harsh for a Hollywood movie. One simply doesn't kill good boys who have done something stupid even if they are going to accidentally on purpose blow up an entire city and poison a couple of small states downwind.

Still, it is a pretty good thriller and Lithgow and Eikenberry bring good adult maturity to the story without becoming villains or fools. I enjoyed that. And Collet and Nixon do have a very caring and human relationship. While the movie isn't, in the end, realistic, it isn't a cartoon either.

A quite good movie that still holds up after the cold war. In fact, in our age of terrorism and the threat of suitcase bombs, it probably has an even louder ring to it. April 11, 2007

This movie still holds up after 20 years

I have fond memories of watching this movie in the mid-80s. I liked it then, and I still like it now. If you can get past the cheesy plot, it is a very enjoyable adventure, with a few valid messages about the dangers of secrecy and nuclear technology. The quality of the video and audio is excellent, but I was disappointed that there were no extras included on this DVD. Regardless, this movie was out of print for quite some time, so it's nice to see it released on DVD. Watch it for the characters and their interaction, but don't expect the plot to be terribly plausible. March 6, 2007

Best Teen Movie I've Seen in a While!!!!

This movie, though unrealistic in many aspects, is great and unpredictable. It's not the typical teen movie where the teens are shallow, accomplish nothing and talk exceedingly dirty. This has substance and thrills, and some smart kids to figure it all out! They defy all teenage stereo types. It's awesome! I have a new respect for '80's movies...The Manhattan Project and the Outsides, too...Great Decade in Film! '80's movies are just so out there!

AWW-age 15 February 3, 2007

Truly HILARIOUS movie!

I really love this movie, but I can't tell you why. Somehow, the pace, the performances and the music combine magically to put me in a good mood. In fact, I think if War Games hadn't come out at about the same time, this would have been a box office smash.

But let's be clear on one thing: there's no way the director, the actors and everyone else involved with this movie didn't know it was sheer camp nonsense, and I can prove it to you.

First of all, there's no way a kid can throw together some plutonium, a strobe, and a few salad bowls in a CAT BOX and make a nuclear weapon. It takes a huge investment and an INFRASTRUCTURE to even get started. Steve Jobs put together a computer in his garage but HE HAD THE CHIPS ALREADY, fergawdsake. Shoot, maybe Iraq should just hire good ol' Paul. POOF -- instant super power! ;) ;) ;)

But the clincher -- the thing that really proves the cast was fully aware of all the silliness -- was the scene where the Lieutenant Colonel is using binoculars to view Paul in the room as he starts to assemble his little science project. The kid just WALKED INTO THE ROOM. Big hairy goons with guns were chasing him. A few minutes later Lithgow walked into the room. WHY DIDN'T THE HAIRY GOONS WALK INTO THE ROOM TOO?? Why didn't they just point their guns at Pauly-baby and grab the bloody bomb before he activates it!?!?!?

I start laughing every time about five minutes before this scene comes up. But Lithgow was terrific and Cynthia Nixon was babalicious. How did they keep from cracking up? March 13, 2006

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