Official Denial (1993 TV Movie)
Seen it before - but with better effects
20 September 2001
I didn't expect very much from this, and I wasn't disappointed. First let me say the plot is generally strong - with good ideas and a strong (ish) finish. It's basically an X-files type story with a military cover-up going on relating to alien abductions....you know- quite a popular (unoriginal) story line that would usually mean a good film.

However here, a good story is hampered by actors that are ok for TV movies but serve to take away from the story by not being totally convincing, although in fairness Parker Stevenson does have several good sensitive moments. Also the production values are not that high, although there are plenty of on-location shoots, and the internals all look convincing.

The big fall down is the special effects which are of TV standard - it's hard to go along with the action when the aliens are so clearly children in suits and optical special effects are cheap editing tricks. For example when Stevenson meets one of his alien abductors, his performance means you believe he was abducted and his emotions are real - but you can't get over the fact that the alien is a small person in a rubber Halloween costume!

Overall what could have been a better film with a clever (if unoriginal) story is let down by TV acting and pretty poor special effects.
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