Special Bulletin

A nice sense of escalation and an eye for detail, but it misses the mark in many crucial moments - mostly it's just too stagey to be disturbing. All the same, It's a charming example of a movie whose ambition outstrips its talent.

The first sixty minutes plays like a journalism class role playing instructional video ("Okay, class, now write a page long essay why the smug news anchor is correct."), but it sticks the landing. The Presidential hubris, journalists belief in their own invincibility, and those final panicky seconds make the film feel unnervingly relevant even today.

While I can't condone what these men and women did, I can sympathize to a certain degree with their message. I too would like a Porsche and $340,000.

The beginning and end are pretty engaging, just a shame the middle segment has too little variation to keep things interesting. It's a neat concept that has enough small details to at least feel semi-realistic, despite what must have been a small 'made-for-tv' budget.

Mix of THE WAR GAME and THE CHINA SYNDROME works best in the opening sequences creating a genuine sense of verisimilitude in its depiction of sketchy news coverage of the hostage situation, and the somewhat harrowing climax which nevertheless feels tamped down by budgetary limitations, and sanitised by 80s TV sensibilities. Mid-section is bloated and repetitive, but is kept on track by Walker and Flanders' effective performances. Ultimately a well intentioned paper tiger.