Review of The China Syndrome (1979) by Jonathan B — 29 Nov 2016

It's not just the beige trouser suits and casual sexism that dates The China Syndrome but thankfully the terrific central performances from Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon more than make up for the 1970s kitsch elements.

This is a well thought through, taught thriller about a nuclear accident and the uncovering of the story by a television reporter and her crew. There's no melodrama or obvious dumbing down for the audience and this isn't the sort of action thriller where spectacle replaces drama.

Rather this is an authentic feeling story that rightly focuses on the characters involved and how they react to the situations that they find themselves in. Featuring a scarily young looking Michael Douglas and the seemingly angels Wilford Brimley, The China Syndrome is rightly a highly regarded movie about corporate greed and responsibility that still resonates today.