TIDAL WAVE NO ESCAPE
US, 1997, 95 minutes, Colour.
Corbin Bernsen, Julie Anne Philips, Gregg Henry, Harve Presnell.
Directed by George Miller.
Tidal Wave No Escape is a routine telemovie, combining political conspiracy theories, nuclear conspiracies, ecological disasters and disaster movies. It all works quite well for a relaxing Saturday night at the movies.
Corbin Bernsen is a burnt-out scientist who is brought back when tidal waves start destroying parts of the Pacific Ocean coasts. Julie Anne Philips is a top scientist, Gregg Henry is also a scientist, who had betrayed Bernsen with his wife. Harve Presnell is the veteran who turns out to be the villain, manufacturing tidal waves for revenge and power.
Direction is by George Miller, director of The Man from Snowy River, Cool Change, Gross Misconduct as well as American telemovies.
1. Entertaining telemovie? Combination of conspiracies and disasters, ecology and nuclear fears?
2. The American locations, the scientific apparatus and laboratories? Computer controls? The visual effects for the tidal waves, especially their crashing onto the land, crashing into the Queen Mary, crashing into each other?
3. The plausibility of the plot: scientific advancements, science for military purposes, rogue scientists and their jealousies and lusts for power?
4. John and his escaping from his work, the set-up of attacking the Under-Secretary? Surfing? Found, brought to the discussions, his abrasiveness with Persell? The clash with Jessica? His leaving - and then under suspicion? His research, the dangers, the pursuit by Stanley Schiff? The set-ups on the Queen Mary, the shootings? The murders in the laboratory? His home destroyed? With Jessica, their relationship? Tracking down Schiff, the split-second timing for turning the waves against each other?
5. Jessica, science, her divorce, brittle, clash with John, suspicions, his visiting her, believing him? Collaboration, on the run? The threats? The finale?
6. Persell, the background of his relationship with John? Jealousy, obsessive? His assistant? His being shot at, killed by Schiff in the hospital? Persell and his having to give in to the truth?
7. Schiff, his background, friendliness, out fishing, the revelation that he was the villain, his jealousy of John, manufacturing the waves, the final confrontation?
8. The spectacle of the tidal waves and their disaster - audiences enjoying being scared, asking what if? The critique of human fallibility, especially in scientists?
