Chain Reaction (1996)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Andrew Davis directed this chase thriller that stars Keanu Reeves as Eddie Kasalivich, a technician on a scientific research team that discovers a new, low cost, no pollution alternative energy source. Rachel Weisz plays physicist Dr. Lily Sinclair, also on the project, and gets caught up with Eddie after someone steals the invention, murders the other scientists, and blows up the installation, forcing Eddie & Lily to go on the run to prove their innocence and retrieve their invention. Morgan freeman plays their mentor Paul Shannon, who tries to help them for his own reasons... Marginal film has a good cast and direction, with exciting action scenes, but comes up short due to a lack of imagination in its storytelling, despite a worthy premise.

Simply put, one of my favorite movies of the 90s, because I'm a big fan of the Fugitive. This plot follows it adds a bit of a new age spin on it. Enjoyable flick with very good actors and a cast that features Keanu Reeves, Morgan Freeman, Fred Ward, Brian Cox, Rachel Weisz and many others, highly recommended if you're a fan of the Fugitive or U.S. Marshalls!The story is about a chemist & his friend suspected of murdering their mentor and Reeves & Weisz receive help from a friend of their fallen colleague and they try and find out who is trying to frame them for murder. Much like The Fugitive, which ironically is done by most of the same crew and features some of the actors from that film, it's a great flick to pass the time on.

When the scientist leading the search for a new low cost energy source announces that he intends to give the discovery to the world he is looked on as a bit of an idealist but when a breakthrough leads to the energy source's discovery things quickly go bad for his team; he is murdered and his lab totally destroyed; another of his team vanishes, presumed to have taken stolen data to China and another two; Eddie Kasalivich, the man who made the breakthrough and Dr. Lily Sinclair, a physicist on the team find themselves on the run having been framed for murder and selling the data. The only man they think they can trust is Eddie's mentor Paul Shannon but he is in no position as the FBI are watching him almost as keenly as they are watching Eddie and Lily. If they are to survive they will have to get out of Chicago and find a safe way to meet Shannon; all the time avoiding various law enforcement agencies and more dangerous characters working for the shadowy organisation that killed the scientist and destroyed his lab.While this is hardly a classic thriller it is a lot of fun; there are impressive explosions, numerous chases, shootings and a constant sense that our protagonists could be caught, or worse, at any moment. Keanu Reaves does a decent job as Eddie and Rachel Weiss is fine as Lily; however it is Morgan Freeman who dominates proceedings as Shannon; a man we aren't sure whether or not can be trusted for much of the film. Brian Cox also puts in a fun performance as the obvious villain Lyman Collier. The story itself is fairly silly but it is well told and there should be enough action and suspense to keep most viewers entertained well enough. I wouldn't say this is a must see film but it is worth watching if it is on television and there is nothing better on.

Apart from being a great action flick Chain Reaction also has a plot that is quite intelligent and realistic. With the ever-increasing efforts of powers that be to control everything from information to technology, this movie offers us a plausible scenario with convincing actors, well and there's Keanu. Shot in a style of classic nineties action flicks it has wild chases, explosions and fire fights and pretty damsel in distress (Rachel Weisz). This is the genre in which Keanu Reaves is the best, and when we add Morgan Freeman to the equation we got the strength and charm combined with smarts. Not to mention stunning Rachel Weisz in one of her early roles, establishing herself as an action heroine. Although being an action flick Chain Reaction is one of those movies that relaxes, you can just let go of your worries and enjoy in an almost sci-fi atmosphere and interesting plot.Eddie Kasalivich is a part of a scientific team that is on a verge to discover the process that transforms water into fuel. Of course if this should happen, global economy and almost everything else would be instantly changed forever, so the stakes are quite high. After they succeeded in the experiment, things start to get ugly as one of the scientist is killed and Eddie and physicist Lily Sinclair are framed for the murder. With the machine stolen and them on the run from the authorities Eddie and Lily are in a quite a pickle. Soon they discover a conspiracy that involves some unlikely suspects. Will they manage to escape and clear their name while trying to tell the world about their discovery is up to you to find out