SOLE SURVIVOR
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Sound format: Stereo
(2 episodes)
The trouble with Dean Koontz's literary thrillers is that - for all his undoubted writing talent and his ability to create indelible characters and believable environments through skillful prose - the stories themselves are usually as bland and predictable as you could possibly imagine. Which makes them perfect fodder for the insatiable conveyor belt of American TV, as demonstrated by this little time-waster, co-produced by Koontz himself, and written by Richard Christian Matheson based on Koontz's novel. Clearly in it for the money, Billy Zane (who seems determined to make himself look as unattractive as possible - he doesn't quite succeed, but that HAIR!) loses his wife and daughter in a horrific air crash, only to discover their deaths were linked to disturbing scientific experiments conducted inside a super-secret government research center. Cue the villainous government agents (led by a terrific John C. McGinley, who can do this kind of 'slimy villain' role in his sleep), determined to prevent Zane from discovering the truth, which naturally encourages him to do just that.
This two-part mini-series, directed by former cinematographer Mikael Salomon (also responsible for the 2004 update of 'SALEM'S LOT), dangles enough intriguing clues about the film's Ultimate Secret to keep viewers hooked to the very end, but it's bogged down by a series of lengthy dialogue exchanges, and the climactic revelations are hardly the stuff of Great Drama. Production values are polished, but cast and crew are simply going through the motions.
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Sound format: Stereo
(2 episodes)
The trouble with Dean Koontz's literary thrillers is that - for all his undoubted writing talent and his ability to create indelible characters and believable environments through skillful prose - the stories themselves are usually as bland and predictable as you could possibly imagine. Which makes them perfect fodder for the insatiable conveyor belt of American TV, as demonstrated by this little time-waster, co-produced by Koontz himself, and written by Richard Christian Matheson based on Koontz's novel. Clearly in it for the money, Billy Zane (who seems determined to make himself look as unattractive as possible - he doesn't quite succeed, but that HAIR!) loses his wife and daughter in a horrific air crash, only to discover their deaths were linked to disturbing scientific experiments conducted inside a super-secret government research center. Cue the villainous government agents (led by a terrific John C. McGinley, who can do this kind of 'slimy villain' role in his sleep), determined to prevent Zane from discovering the truth, which naturally encourages him to do just that.
This two-part mini-series, directed by former cinematographer Mikael Salomon (also responsible for the 2004 update of 'SALEM'S LOT), dangles enough intriguing clues about the film's Ultimate Secret to keep viewers hooked to the very end, but it's bogged down by a series of lengthy dialogue exchanges, and the climactic revelations are hardly the stuff of Great Drama. Production values are polished, but cast and crew are simply going through the motions.