Solar Attack

SOLAR ATTACK is an extremely dull would-be disaster movie starring everyone's favourite low-rent action hero, Mark Dacascos. In it, solar flares threaten Earth and the usual team of scientists and government types have to team up to discover a way to combat the impending doom.

Unfortunately this is dry and stilted beyond belief, with no attempts made at realism. They don't try to engage the viewer's attention once. The actual disaster elements are limited to a couple of scenes of burning fireballs striking a handful of American cities but such moments, despite being entertaining, are few and far between leading to lots of inactivity and dull dialogue.

Cast-wise, Dacascos is the dashing hero but unforgivably doesn't even get the opportunity to kick any martial arts ass - he has one fight scene which is over in approximately two seconds! Elsewhere we get a tired-looking Louis Gossett Jr. playing the US President, and lots of to-ing and fro-ing on board a Russian sub during the supposedly thrilling climax, which is about as thrilling as me cutting my toenails. I think they were going for a HUNT FOR RED October style vibe but it falls flat, like the rest of this terrible movie.

I saw this last night and kept watching as there was nothing else on that was better. The premise of the movie was cool. Big solar storm ignites the atmosphere and has the potential of instantly wiping out life on Earth. However, the dialogue in the movie was horrible. The script was lacking emotion and intensity. The dialogue could have been so much better. The acting was alright given the bad dialogue. Louis Gosset, Jr. plays the president but has a small role in the movie overall. The score was horrible. The movie needed more intense music and more emotive dialogue. This movie lacked in intensity and would have benefited greatly from it. Unfortunately, the movie was pretty much on par with most small budget films made in Canada.

I read another review saying this was only for people who were idiots. However, the movie was quite interesting and not too bad for a TV movie. It reminded me of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, only a modern version.

I was glad to see no horrible camera work where everything is jerking around and very amateurish looking. I would definitely watch this again.

The acting was quite satisfactory and I know that TV movies do not have the same budget as movies released to the theaters, this was definitely captivating.

The premise IS possible (as possible as the Van Allen radiation belt catching fire in Voyage). The effects were just fine. I found this movie to be entertaining and that's really what I watch a movie for.

The Scifi Channel, does tend show a below par intelligence when making their descions. Purcahsing/creating movies with laughable storyline plots. Their descions to cancel popular shows, and keep lamer less thought out shows, are a continuous mystery to me. Because these same suits oddly are responsible for also making/purchasing great movies and shows like 'Tinman' 'Lexx' and 'Farscape'.

However; when you factor in Scifi Channel is a subsidiary of NBC, all is made clear. NBC isn't know for making a great number of hit shows, itself. There are a limited number, of exceptions, like 'House'.

Yet, As an example of the wisdom of NBC's Board. In a colossal moment of shear stupidity, only rivaled by Coke's 'New Coke' fiasco. They decided they're few hits, give them the right to dictate separate rates for their programs on iTines. Not sure which is the dumber move, going down this path or being too stupid to admit they were wrong in the first place.

But back to topic, do you actually expect to find better programming scripts or show descions by these men... I think this is the best they are able to come up with. Any hits they my have are flukes, explained by the same theory that says a room full of chimpanzees can type out a copy of the Constitution, given enough time.

Solar Attack is about a large coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun that threatens to ignite the atmosphere and kill everyone. The president must try and make the right decision and he only has one chance. The scientists and advisors are split, but the president errs on the side of caution and authorizes some dangerous operations. While this film deals with a lesser known extinction level event, the science is still dubious as presented. For the most part, the performances aren't convincing and seems rushed. I think this has more to do with the directing rather than the acting. Dialog is common with little snap. I doubt that even big name actors could have pulled this out of the C+ range. Special effects were nonspecific, general, and unrealistic.