Final Approach

My review was written in May 1991 after a Cannes Film Festival Market screening.

"Final Approach" is a gimmicky, tedious sci-fi film, notable only for its pioneering use of digital sound recording and playback. Script's failure to involve the audience in its shaggy-dog story makrs pic a dubious theatrical prospect.

Debuting director Eric Steven Stahl (a graduate of tv commercials) emphasizes technology over content with disastrous results. The touted Cinema Digital Sound provides crisp dialog (not noticeably better sounding than previous six-track s tereo films) but is also used her for frequent noisy interruptions that recall the low-tech '70s Sensurround gimmick.

Annoying editing keeps interrupting the action with fleeting flashback shots that further distance the viewer.

While Stanley Kubrick's classic "2001: A Space Odyssey" is the obvious starting point for film's first-person aerial shots buzzing above pretty landscapes including Monument Valley, pic is eally in the vein of Douglas Trumbull's would-be sic-fi breakthrough pic "Brainstorm".

"Approach" unsuccessfully attempts to present a roller coaster ride from the brain of air force pilot James B. Sikking. It becomes gradually evident that he was working for general Kevin McCarthy on a top-secret project to plastic-coat conventional aircraft and make them equivalent to Stealth bombers in terms of avoiding detection.

Awkward structure give sfilm the feel of a two-character play, an amnesiac Sikking is stuck for the duration in a large, antiseptic office questioned by unctuous Hector Elizondo on his ownt to provide some comic releif, but Sikking is colorless throughout, making the necessary viewer identification with him and his Kafkaesque plight nearly impossible.

It turns out this exercise is just another "dying flash" riff on Robert Enrico's classic adaptation of Ambrose Bierce's "Incident at Owl Creek Bridte", stretching a man's final moments into feature length trivia.

Supporting cast is virtually dispensed with, as Sikking's lvoely wife Madolyn Smith gets just one meaningless scene and occasional flash ctuts to work with. Genre vet McCarthy pops up only to bark out orders as Sikking's flashback commander.

Tech credits are pro but inspiration is sorely lacking.

If you're really desperate to watch a movie then "Final Approach" would have to be the one to go with. I watched this movie with some friends and I got more entertainment from watching their complaints of how disgustingly boring this movie was. The whole thing is a dream sequence, and the viewer has no idea what is going on at all. I didn't stick around for the end but my friends told me that they envied me because I had the sense to get out of the room so fast. A true waste of film, time and my Saturday night.

A test pilot trying out a top secret stealth jet finds himself in a psychiatrist's surgery and has no idea how he got there; the doctor tries to rebuild his memories. This was a pretty good effort at a bit of an intelligent mix of sci-fi and mystery. It has a very small cast and is a bit limited, meaning it depends on the acting and script a lot and that's not always amazing. Still, its quite decent with a few twists and turns in its story.

If you're looking for a bit of light entertainment, forget it.

I saw this film when it first came to video and it blew my mind. It's major selling point at the time was that it was the first film with Digital sound. The sound is amazing but is an infrequent part of what is mainly just two guys sitting in a room talking to each other. The acting is excellent and the dialogue is highly unusual in that throughout the film your perception of what the characters are actually talking about changes. By the end, if you've been paying attention, you're head will be mangled.

An amazing film, thoroughly recommended for those tired of watching the usual big budget, action packed and totally mindless blockbusters.

I have seen many films in my life. Some amazing, some dire. However, this film surpasses anything I have ever encountered. As film goers we sit and tolerate a slow start, confused plots, etc., in the hope that they improve. This film does not. I am loathe to even write about it, as it has already wasted two hours of my life. Be warned the marketing bods have been at work and the back of the video cover even makes this sound exciting, 20,000 digital effects and out-of-this-world mystery. If I every have to watch this film again, I will end it all. Officially ...... The worst film I have ever seen. And I've seen Nothing But Trouble.