The Chain Reaction

"Chain Reaction" is an Australian action movie that I think is best described as a mixed bag.

Some scenes are very interesting and intriguing, and other scenes are very dull and boring. Same thing goes for the action sequences, which were exciting half the time, and wearisome the other half.

The best parts of the movie come from its unique, eerie, and electronic soundtrack and sound effects. Also, the acting was pretty good for the most part.

Overall, it's at least watchable. I'd recommend it. 5/10.

Lastly, if you disagree with the opinions stated here, that's completely okay, and you're entitled to your own.

Good to see Farkas in a lead role, but aside from the car chases and some nudity - mostly Farkas! - the film rarely ignites. Many scenes filmed in near darkness and much of the plot is incomprehensible. And where on earth is the violence?

A nuclear plant employee is accidentally showered in radioactive waste and his company wants to hush up the fact the water supply has been contaminated. He escapes and quickly falls under the care of race car driver Larry (Steve Bisley) and his wife Carmel (Arna-Maria Winchester) at their vacation home. Since they are corporate guys, the baddies will stop at nothing to silence the escapee and anyone who helps him. It is THE CHINA SYNDROME with car chases! This one is pretty decent but suffers from a sluggish pace at times and making a straight-forward plot convoluted. There are some nice character touches (the deaf hit-man; Hugh Keays-Byrne's eccentric anti-nuke guy). MAD MAX's George Miller was originally supposed to direct, but didn't. He did do the work on the car chases (uncredited), which are really good but the film could have used more of them. Ian Barry directed and has a good eye and stages some nice shocks. Wish it was more even though. Some guy named Mel Gibson has a two-second cameo.

In Australia, an earthquake damages a nuclear waste storage facility and causes a dangerous leak. Engineer Heinrich Schmidt is badly injured as he tries to stop the leak. The plant boss refuses to warn the public due to adverse publicity. Heinrich manages to escape but his head wound leaves him with only memories from before 1957. He stumbles upon Larry Stilson and his wife Carmel in their vacation cottage.

It's Ozploitation and a cult classic. It has great car action especially two extraordinary chases. I love the placements of the cameras. It's kinetic. It's wildly destructive. It's also dangerous on a few instances. It's great stunt work. These guys are riding on the knife's edge. As for the story, it makes little sense to put Larry and Carmel as the central characters. The lead should be Heinrich. He's the one with the info. Maybe if Heinrich passes on the info to the couple before dying, then they would need to contact the outside world. It's easier if Heinrich is the lead. The plot is a muddle despite being relatively straight forward. All in all, this movie has great car chases which accounts for about fifteen minutes. Those parts are exceptional.

I saw this movie at the Roxy Cinema,Parramatta, Sydney Australia in 1980. I thought the action stunts and story were good. Steve Bisley who played Goose in "Mad Max" in one of his early lead roles. Watch out for Mel Gibson in an unbilled role as a mechanic at the beginning of the film.