Andromeda Strain

If you liked Outbreak, you'll love watching this one. The best thing is to read the novel, then watch the film.


My all-time favorite movie to date!!!   October 4, 2003
One World (Denver, CO USA)
5 out of 8 found this review helpful

As a kid I saw this movie but had no idea what it was - my parents did not want to leave us with babysitters so we just tagged along. The scene that got stuck in my head and remained way in the back was the one where somebody is climbing a ladder and "getting shocked" - as I saw it then and finally getting to to some device to turn it off.


In 1999, I rented every 1970 sci-fi flick to find out what movie had this scene. I saw some pretty interesting flicks like Omega Man, Westworld, and Zero Population Growth(which I thought was it!). It just happens that a movie buff I ran into told me what movie that scene belonged to.


Since then I saw it 9 times in 1999 and 3 more times in 2003, this now beats out Pricilla Queen Of The Desert.


This movie maximizes on Suspence and of course Michael Crichton's book. Now this is not some cheesy sci-fi about aliens invading or monsters. There is not much action, it's a slow-poker. What makes it so good is the way it engrosses you and keeps you tagging along all the way with it.


Some in a review says the acting is terrible. Now I am not much on detecting good and bad acting jobs (unless it's really fouled up) and I did not notice. However here is a note about the acting: In the DVD's "Making Of" feature the Director said he deliberately went for low-profile actors because he felt it would compromise the story. This makes sense because of it's documentary nature. (Like I said, it's a slow going movie that uses suspense for all it's worth).


Here you have 5 scientists who get pulled out of their lives, brought to the Wildfire installation to research a new virus or bug. They must go through rigorous sterilization procedures before they can begin their work. You get a realistic view of what goes on inside a scientist's laboratory and well, it's not all action and and focused on stud-men or sexy women love scenes etc (Although Kate Reid did turn me on, and Paulla Kella was hot). I am delighted that there were no love scenes in this film.


I really like the secret installation. This movie is not set in the future so it comes off as ahead of it's time in technology. It's not a stretch to imagine such an installation existing today with even more advanced equipment and procedures. The secret elevator, was sooo cool. It reminded me of when I read Independence Day because there was a secret elevator in that one but it was not in the movie. Who would expect a storage closet to be and elevator! I would have loved this as a kid.



Even thought this is a suspence-thriller sci-fi, the movie gets off a few elements of comedy but nothing that would detract from the seriousness. Kate Reid's "attitude-ee" character is mostly responsible for these, the most obvious one: "I MEAN IT STONE, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR BODY ANALYSER AND YOU CAN....{Thump! we see/hear. the door close on her face.}"



Great movie for drama, suspense, sci-fi gadetry and NO LOVE SCENES!!!!

MAN, WHATZ WRONG WITH THIS REVIEW?


The crashing Bore from outer space   June 8, 2004
5 out of 30 found this review helpful

The Andromeda Strain is one of the worst films ever made. It is about a deadly Bacterium from the Andromeda Galaxy, which is spreading on earth. When you catch the disease your blood turns to sand, sounds cheap already, Huh.
Why the movie is so boring is because most of the time Scientists are in a labratory doing research for over two hours! The movie is about as scary as Barney. Do not buy or rent this movie. This movie is dangerous it just might bore you to death!!!!!!!!!


Can four Top Secret doctors stop the biological warfare?   October 15, 2004
James McDonald (Lancaster, California)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

This one is worth watching and boy is the story more prominent today. Top Secret "Wildfire" has taken place. Four doctors are called upon by the Army. When the Army knocks on your door and its Top Secret, you better drop what you are doing and leave with them immediatly. Dr. Jeremy Stone (Arthur Hill) can not tell his wife (Susan Brown of ABC serial General Hospital) anything and Dr. Charles Dutton (David Wayne) can not tell his wife (Frances Reid of NBC serial Days Of Our Lives). Dr. Ruth Leavitt (Kate reid) who is denying her health problems, reluctantly obeys her orders and Dr. Mark Hall (James Olsen) leaves in the middle of performing an operation to obey his orders.
Dr. Hall and Dr. Stone are sent to investigate the bio-contamination of the small town of Piedmont, New Mexico. All people are dead. But they know of one person is still alive. They must find that person. All died instantly, but some went crazy and committed suicide. There is no blood on the dead. They find a baby boy (Robert Soto) crying and a cantankerous old man alive. They sre sent to a laboratory. Charles and Ruth go to a secret place in Flatrock County, Nevada where an inconspicuous building is the U.S. Department of Agriculture, research center. In fact, they are growing barley around it. Inside, they go to the storeroom where there is a hidden elevator that goes down into a five-level underground compound.
The movie becomes fun from there, but with military seriousness. The story builds and builds to incredible suspense.
Can they find out how the organism gets into the body and can they stop it before it spreads outside? It is the ultimate biological weapon.
I recommend you see this film on VHS or DVD. I prefer Full-Screen. Television broadcasts will edit down this movie. Contains brief nudity.

Remake: a 4-hour miniseries in 2008 for the A&E cable network.