Chain Reaction (1996)

Director:

Andrew Davis

Writers (WGA):

Arne Schmidt (story) &
Rick Seaman (story) ...

Release Date:

2 August 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

Reaction Time 8-4-96

Plot:

Two researchers in a green alternative energy project are put on the run when they are framed for murder and treason.

Plot Keywords:

Conspiracy | Limousine | Paranoia | Factory | Cigar Smoking

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Keanu Reeves	...	Eddie Kasalivich
Morgan Freeman	...	Paul Shannon
Rachel Weisz	...	Dr. Lily Sinclair
Fred Ward	...	FBI Agent Leon Ford
Kevin Dunn	...	FBI Agent Doyle
Brian Cox	...	Lyman Earl Collier
Joanna Cassidy	...	Maggie McDermott
Chelcie Ross	...	Ed Rafferty
Nicholas Rudall	...	Dr. Alistair Barkley
Tzi Ma	...	Lu Chen
Krzysztof Pieczynski	...	Lucasz Screbneski
Julie R. Pearl	...	Emily Pearl
Godfrey	...	Chidi Egbuna
Gene Barge	...	James Washington
Nathan Davis	...	Morris Grodsky

Also Known As:

Dead Drop (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some intense action/violence.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #34663) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | New Zealand:M | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Canada:PG | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

53rd Street & Blackstone Avenue, Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Chicago Pacific Entertainment

Trivia:

The characters that Fred Ward and Kevin Dunn play in the film are loosely based on the characters of U.S. Marshals Sam Gerard and Cosmo Renfro (played by Tommy Lee Jones and Joe Pantoliano) from The Fugitive (1993), which was also directed by Andrew Davis.

Goofs:

Continuity: The position and numbers of the scratches on Eddie's face change throughout the course of the movie.

Quotes:

Lily Sinclair: I'm being framed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Roseanne: Hit the Road Jack (#9.14)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

One Love

Fairly Decent Sci-Fi Actioneer

Despite the fact that it is instantly forgettable, CHAIN REACTION is a fairly decent sci-fi actioneer. The writers deserve to be commended for their original storyline, in which a scientific team discovers a low-cost fuel source reliant only on water. Naturally, evil capitalist forces are out to sabotage the project, and it's up to Eddie Kasalivich (Keanu Reeves in a slightly Bill-and-Ted-like performance) to save the day. The action and thrills are never first-rate, and things drag on a tad too long, but somehow, CHAIN REACTION is better than the sum of its parts. Twentieth Century Fox had high hopes for this $55-million would-be blockbuster, especially after Reeves' success two years earlier with SPEED, but it quickly faded from theaters, so it has a sort of a "forgotten film" appeal.