Such a frustrating disappointment

Simply A Masterpiece

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I don't give a rating to this VHS film, not because it isn't a high-calibre thriller with excellent performances by the cast, but I saw the original Television series and I was puzzled after watching the tape. I bought the VHS because I remembered what a stunning (not perhaps by today's standards) series it was and wanted to see it again. It had a lot of holes in it--the VHS version. I was happy to read the comment by Peter22060 - February 25, 2007. I knew there had to be at least an hour of material missing because the film on the tape version gave no reasonable idea of how or why Sally Crain was a nut-case. Some idiot(s) got the rights to copy the series and even though it retains the remains of an excellent film, it had the guts removed. Thus we have a central character manipulating the highest agencies and politicians in this country with no real idea of what is driving her. Thank you Peter22060. I wish I had copied the original.

I really enjoyed Steve Sohmer's book and this is one of the few movie adaptations that is just as fine as the book was. This is the best political thriller since The Manchurian Candidate. It is really bone chilling as a matter of fact. Linda Kozlowski deserves so much more credit then given, she is an awesome actress. The best performance in this film however, is Robert Loggia's as Agent Mancuso. This man is one of the best actors in the business who has never been given the credit due him. He is excellent as the tired, cynical agent who still has courage and idealism and a willingness to fight for what is right. There is not another actor who could have played this role better. He dominates every scene he is in. There was a tv series called Mancuso FBI that came on the air shortly afterwards to continue Loggia's great character only it was cancelled (!). Loggia's Mancuso is a lot like Jack Klugmans Doctor Quincy because he showed how one ordinary person who cares can make an extraordinary difference.

Unbelievably good script. Really shocking and unexpected in parts, especially the double-crosses. Linda Koslowski was excellent and so different from her Crocodile Dundee days, and Loggia is also very good. A relative of Manchurian Candidate.

I am a big fan of Steven Sohmer and the fact that he wrote the book and produced the movie is a big plus. The movie was produced faithfully from the book.All in all, I enjoyed it.