The Andromeda Strain

(2008)
No, not the boring-as-paint-drying 1971 original (where the science involved is way, waaaaay more important than the fiction, sadly), but an A&E miniseries that updates the basic Crichton idea by throwing a lot of additional plots in the mix, and modernizing much of the cast. But is it an improvement? Ive whined before how Crichton reuses the same plot (dont believe me? Westworld, Jurassic Park, and Timelines are all the identical story), though this is a little different this time space craps on us (maybe, in this version) rather than our own ego crapping on ourselves. A space-borne parasite comes to earth and starts killing everything it touches; its incredibly lethal, and the government (those guys again?) has to figure out a way to stop it before were all, you know, dead (I suppose Rick Perry would hold a prayer vigil). The government rounds up several high-profile doctors Ben Bratt, Ricky Shroeder, and Christa Miller foremost and Andre Braugher serves as their military liaison. Fortunately in this version the explanation of the facility is limited to a brief montage (whereas in the original it took an aching half hour), and the docs get down to work trying to solve the mystery of the pesky virus. But thats not all. Because mankinds continued survival isnt threat enough, we also have an eco-terrorism subplot about mining hot spots on the ocean floor, a conspiracy to kill everyone outside the lab who knows of Andromeda, a possible romance between two of the doctors, and a pointless subplot about a reporter (Eric McCormack, the Will and Grace dude) who manages to outwit and elude the military (and maybe Homeland or the CIA or both) all the while tracking down the story. Theres a lot almost too muchgoing on, and yet it was so much more lively and involved than the original that I enjoyed the first half. Focusing on the characters rather than the science was a vast improvement, and while there were one or two (or five) too many plotlines, still, at least there was something to divert your attention away from the boring, boring science. Unfortunately, this helped to sink the second half, as, rather than explain anything, they just keep making it more and more complicated (wormholes? A conscious and telepathic virus? More Army secret plots?) until its hard to follow whats going on at all. At least in the torpid original, the only survivors (a baby and a cranky old drunk) provide the clue to the solution; here, they are of no consequence at all, leaving one to wonder, aside from giving Christa Miller a few extra scenes (always appreciated), why they are even here. The acting is okay; Bratt breaks out his earnest side, and hes fine, more handsome on the cusp of 50 than anyone has a right to be. I enjoyed Christa Miller, but then I

always do; this was a nice break from her usual sarcastic comedic role, but shes perfectly fine here, as is Schroeder and the rest of the medical team. Most of the Army guys are a tad histrionic (Braugher vacillates between quietly sincere and worried and braying orders and arguing with everyone), and there are a few too many government guys to keep track of, although Ted Whittall makes a strong and positive impression as the President. While overall its more engaging than the original, the tendency to keep adding more to the plot, while enriching the first half, ruins the film overall. By the end there are just a few too many loose threads, mysterious murders, wildly implausible sci-fi plot twists (if the virus can mutate the landscape fast enough to be visible, theres simply no way it could be contained), and a much-unneeded nod to the Raiders ending that ultimately bring the film down to the level of, well, a hokey SciFi Channel (I will not use the new spelling) movie starring two old Trek alumni and some chick who used to be hot fifteen years ago. A&E was certainly ambitious with this, and its not awful, but it also isnt all that great, either. Only really diehard fans of the story should give it a spin, although they are the ones most likely to be disenchanted with it. September 13, 2011