The Bamboo Saucer

Watch the worst episode of Man from UNCLE, that's basically this film, but that episode was 1000 times better than this movie.

After a talky first half, this little sleeper starts to get good. Good performances, well-written dialogue, and solid direction make up for the dull beginning and some shoddy FX at the end.

A bit like a poor man's ICE STATION ZEBRA: an American and a Soviet team reluctantly team up to investigate a UFO crash in rural China. Interesting premise, but the cheap production (it was probably meant for TV) and slow pace cripple it; at 103 minutes, it's a good 20 minutes too long. A script heavy on proto-detente and unremarkable acting don't help, but there are a few flashes of imagination to reward the patient, especially towards the end. This may account for its above-average reputation.