Posted: Thurs., Jul. 9, 2009, 12:59pm PT
Meteor
(Two-part movie; NBC, Sun. July 12-19, 9 p.m.) Filmed in Los Angeles
by Alpine Medien Prods. in association with Larry Levinson Prods.
and Grand Army Entertainment and presented by RHI Entertainment.
Executive producers, Robert Halmi Jr., Larry Levinson; co-executive
producers, Randy Pope, Michael Moran; producers, Juan Mas, Tony
Roman; director, Ernie Barbarash; writer, Alexander Greenfield;
Jack Crowe - Billy Campbell
Imogene O'Neil - Marla Sokoloff
Dr. Chetwyn - Jason Alexander
Calvin Stark - Michael Rooker
Sheriff Crowe - Stacy Keach
Gen. Brasser - Ernie Hudson
Dr. Lehman - Christopher Lloyd
Jenny Crowe - Mimi Michaels
By BRIAN LOWRY
Although I seldom go this far out on a limb, "Meteor" is so bad, so
unbelievably campy, it almost demands to be seen. Coming a few weeks
after ABC's "Impact," this RHI Entertainment two-parter manages to
make that end-of-the-world epic look like "I, Claudius,"
incorporating a maniac cop subplot and perplexing levels of
gratuitous violence. Various recognizable actors dot the cast, but
several of them have the good sense to die well before the end (or
not) comes, leaving poor Marla Sokoloff as mankind's last best hope.
Despite the shared title, "Meteor" isn't directly related to the
1979 disaster movie that starred Sean Connery, which contained a
then-appropriate Cold War hook, as the U.S. and Soviets had to team
up to try and prevent a world-annihilating threat.
Instead of geopolitics, director Ernie Barbarash and writer
Alexander Greenfield settle for a murderous cop (Michael Rooker)
swearing vengeance against the family of his partner, Jack (Billy
Campbell), leading him on a chase across California while laws of
civility break down as huge meteor shards reshape the landscape.
That's because a mountain-sized meteor named Kassandra is hurtling
toward Earth, and only a crazy old scientist (Christopher Lloyd) and
his young colleague Imogene (Sokoloff) know how to stop it.
Unfortunately, they're in Mexico, and when something bad happens to
the elder lab rat, Imogene has to navigate her way across the border
hoping to convey vital information to Dr. Chetwyn (Jason Alexander),
the harried scientist who fired her boss but is now working with the
military to save humanity.
Because the meteor wreaks havoc on communications, it forces Imogene
to run an unintentionally hilarious gantlet of escaped fugitives,
car crashes, gun-toting vigilantes and border-patrol agents.
Meanwhile, there are multiple side plots that mostly amount to
killing time before Kassandra reaches the planet, including survival
efforts in a meteor-struck hospital and the efforts of a local
sheriff (Stacy Keach) -- who happens to be Jack's dad -- struggling
to maintain order in his small town.
The giggles would come fast and furious were it not for the
appalling quantity of violence, which seems less about the fraying
of social norms in the face of a crisis than a wholly unnecessary
movie within the movie. Indeed, Rooker's character is so bent on
destruction that he essentially ignores the fire raining down from
the sky.
There's much to be said for the major networks spicing their lineups
with something more than just reality shows during the summer, but
if "Meteor" represents the best they have to offer, Armageddon, come
on down!
camera, Maximo Munzi; production designer, Scott H. Campbell;
editors, Tricia Gorman, Mike Witting; music, Jonathan Snipes;
casting, Penny Perry, Amy Reece. 120 MIN.
Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/story.asp?l=story&r=VE1117940651&c=32
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