Keanu Reeves’s hated science fiction thriller deserves a second chance, Stream Free
By Robert Scucci | Published
Sometimes the talent acting alone cannot save a film, even when they bring their game A. 1996 Chain reactionWith Keanu Reeves and Morgan Freeman, is one of these films.
The two tracks have an undeniable chemistry, but the limitless intrigue prevents the film from sticking its landing. The big budget sets, the action rhythms and the configuration of the good guy / bad guy are all there, and the messaging is quite obvious. But without a coherent story, Chain reaction Offers a little more than explosions, races, more explosions and more race.
Revolutionary scientific research mined by corruption
Chain reaction Discover with Eddie Kasalivich of Reeves discovering that his synthesizer can somehow draw hydrogen from water to create clean and renewable energy. Given that this innovation threatens the dependence of the world with regard to fossil fuels, the next decision is obvious: send henchmen to destroy the facilities and supervise Eddie and his colleague Lily Sinclair (Rachel Weisz) for … reasons.
The first victim is the principal researcher, Dr. Alistair Barkley (Nicholas Rudall), who wants to share the discovery with the world, for free. This makes him responsibility, he is therefore withdrawn from the equation. The project manager Lu Chen (Tzi Ma) is kidnapped for … more reasons.
Meanwhile, Paul Shannon (Morgan Freeman), strutting with a Fedora and an elected cigar, acts shocked by carnage, but his look alone clearly shows that he is up to height even if we have to consider him as an ally.
Eddie and Lily are on the run, and the rest of the film aims to erase their names, expose the plot and save read.
The right formula leads to the wrong answer
On paper, Chain reaction Check all the boxes of an action thriller from the 90s, stimulated by the performance of Reeves, Weisz and Freeman. But Paul’s reasons are never clearly explained, and most of the tension comes from the suspicions he is in bed with a morally bankrupt company known as C-Systems. Safe houses are occupied, the buildings explode and the mystery of what really happened in the research laboratory is close to the resolution. You know the exercise.
The problem is to make the pace. Too many scenes involve closed conversations while Eddie and Lily were lying down. The bad guys are bland, leaving the film without real ambiguity beyond “Science Good, Bad”. This configuration can work if the characterization takes a rear show for the non -stop action show, but Chain reaction Fight to fully look at the elements that would make a solid popcorn film. Reeves and Freeman are both committed, but the material does not give them room to make a lot with the premise in addition to deliver their lines and hit their clues.
Streaming chain reaction
CHAIN REACTION Exam score
East Chain reaction Really 17% bad, as Rotten Tomatoes suggest? Not quite. But it landed squarely in territory in the middle of the road. If you are of the type that likes action movies with low challenges, you can look halfway while folding the laundry, looking at your eyes whenever something is safe, Chain reaction is streaming for free on Tubi.
