Review of The China Syndrome (1979) by Tristan D — 06 Feb 2010
The China Syndrome is not, as many say, a thriller about the dangers of nuclear power, but rather a thriller about the dangers of corporate power, demand and cost-cutting, which in this case, cause the near-china syndrome incident at the fictional Ventana Nuclear Power Plant. A lack of soundtrack (except the opening credits) and conventional cinematography accentuate the severity of the situation the movie portrays and infact adds a bleakness to the whole situation.
This really gets driven home, as the film concludes as press chatter at the end of the movie is broken by a loud test tone and test bars, before the credits roll silently right through to the end.
Overall this haunting story echoes as loudly today, as it did in 1979. Corporate corruption, regulatory body negligence, and the concerns of one man and a news team all play a part in what is a thrilling, suspenseful and overall well rounded movie. While the film's colours may seem aged, the actors performances and well written story stands just as strong as it did in 1979. My only complaint would be that the DVD, special edition or otherwise, is now out of production in all but Region 1 and 2.
This review of The China Syndrome (1979) was written by Tristan D on 06 Feb 2010.
The China Syndrome has generally received very positive reviews.
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