Review of Phenomenon (1996) by Stuart K — 30 Apr 2014

Directed by Jon Turteltaub, (Cool Runnings (1993), While You Were Sleeping (1995), National Treasure (2004) and Last Vegas (2013)) and written by Gerald Di Pego (Sharky's Machine (1981), Message in a Bottle (1999) and Instinct (1999)).

This fantasy drama has a touch of Frank Capra about it, a touch of The X Files and a touch of Forrest Gump about it, and it's an OK but sickly mix. Set in a small town in Northern California, George Malley (John Travolta) is an amicable and somewhat dim-witted car mechanic who is liked in the town, and while out for a birthday drink, is seemingly hit by a bright white light that came down from space.

Although the townspeople think he's had one too many, but it turns out the bright white light has given George the intelligence of a genius, able to memorise facts and different languages. Plus, it's also given George telekinetic powers, which scares the town excluding friend Nate (Forest Whitaker) and Doc Brunder (Robert Duvall), but it's not long before the government want George.

There is something charmingly old fashioned about this film, but it does dive into mawkish sentimentality and a half-baked love story which is on the side too. Despite the films it was up against at the time, Phenomenon did quite well against stiff competition, a TV series spin-off was planned but it never came to fruition.