Film Screening 23rd September, 2008

Poster for The Chain Reaction

The Chain Reaction 

8:00 PM, 23rd September, 2008

  • M
  • 92 mins
  • Unknown
  • Ian Barry
  • Ian Barry
  • Steve Bisley, Arna-Maria Winchester, Ross Thompson, Ralph Cotterill

This is a good Australian conspiracy thriller with one of the lead roles played by Steve Bisley. It was nominated for seven Australian Film Institute awards including Best Achievement in Cinematography. An earthquake in rural Australia causes a dangerous leak at a nuclear waste storage facility. The boss, to protect himself, wants the accident covered up even if it costs thousands of lives. Heinrich Schmidt (Thompson), an engineer, is seriously injured in the accident but escapes the facility. He knows the leak will poison the groundwater over a very large area and wants to warn the public.

Suffering from amnesia he is rescued by Larry (Bisley), an auto mechanic on vacation with his wife Carmel. As Heinrich tries to piece together his memory of what happened, the thugs sent by the boss are quickly closing in on them all. There is also a heart-pounding, spectacular climactic car chase. Anyone who enjoyed the movie the The China Syndrome should enjoy this film. It is interesting to note, bearing in mind when this film was made, that in "The Australian" paper on 15th June 2008 the Prime Minister said Australian's first nuclear waste dump will be based on science. Four sites are under consideration in the Northern Territory.

Matthew Auckett