The Andromeda Strain

I like this film and have seen it several times. However, I also realize that it's not the sort of film that many, if not most, would not particularly enjoy. Why? Well, the film is very slow-paced, crammed with scientific jargon and has nothing but supporting actors--no big stars. It's obvious that this Michael Crichton story is not marketed to the same mass audience as his "Jurassic Park".

The film begins in a tiny desert town. A space probe launched by the US has crashed there and inexplicably the townspeople all appear to be dead. A crack team of scientific experts are then mobilized in a high-tech and super-top secret base to find out what caused these deaths and how to stop it from potentially destroying everyone on Earth.

"The Andromeda Strain" features actors who are very familiar but whose names you won't readily recognize. This is because the stars are people who usually were supporting actors in movies and mostly TV during this era. Arthur Hill, James Olsen and David Wayne are these very recognizable but generally unheralded actors. This was good because it heightened the realism of the film, however I think the practical reason for this is because Crichton was not yet famous and the studios really didn't want to commit huge money to the film. Plus, a lot was already spent on special effects and equipment for the movie. Regardless, it worked well and the movie was fascinating. Just don't be put off by the occasionally glacial pace and the slightly silly ending involving lasers and nuclear detonations.