"Warning Sign" is a reasonably intense and absorbing thriller made capably if not stylishly by debuting director Hal Barwood, whose credits as a screenwriter include "The Sugarland Express", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", "Corvette Summer", and "Dragonslayer". It benefits from a compelling cast of adult characters that are all well acted, and a quality look (it was designed by Henry Bumstead and shot by Dean Cundey). The music by Craig Safan is good and full of stingers along the way. The story is familiar but entertaining; there's some suspense, some action, impressive makeup effects, and a sense of humour to go with the expected thrills. Granted, it gets rather corny in the end, but for the most part it's quite enjoyable.
Biotek is a company operating in Utah that would seem to be doing agricultural research. But, in tried-and-true movie tradition, it's a front for a sneaky U.S. government that actually uses the place for designing germ warfare. Things go straight to hell when a particularly nasty virus, contrived with the purpose of stimulating the rage centre of the brain, gets loose and spreads throughout the building. Joanie (Kathleen Quinlan), a well meaning security guard, does her best in the situation at hand, while her worried husband Cal (Sam Waterston) works with scientist Dan Fairchild (scene stealing Jeffrey DeMunn) to make up for the bumbling inefficiency of the bureaucrats and officials (led by Yaphet Kotto as Major Connolly) that gather outside.
An obvious predecessor to subsequent efforts such as "Outbreak", "28 Days Later", and "Rec", this has some very effective moments. It shows how things make a quick progression from bad to worse. Quinlan and Waterston are appealing in the leads, and the always excellent Kotto and DeMunn are joined by Richard Dysart, G.W Bailey, Jerry Hardin, Rick Rossovich, Scott Paulin, Keith Szarabajka, Jack Thibeau, and Meshach Taylor in the supporting cast. Bailey in particular is noteworthy because, in addition to his comic chops that he showcased as sneering antagonist Harris in the "Police Academy" series, he can do good dramatic work like he does here. Dysart is very amusing as his character Dr. Nielsen becomes more over the top.
Very entertaining overall for fans of this kind of thing, this does have protagonists that gain our sympathy and the appropriate amount of twists and turns in its story.
Eight out of 10.
Biotek is a company operating in Utah that would seem to be doing agricultural research. But, in tried-and-true movie tradition, it's a front for a sneaky U.S. government that actually uses the place for designing germ warfare. Things go straight to hell when a particularly nasty virus, contrived with the purpose of stimulating the rage centre of the brain, gets loose and spreads throughout the building. Joanie (Kathleen Quinlan), a well meaning security guard, does her best in the situation at hand, while her worried husband Cal (Sam Waterston) works with scientist Dan Fairchild (scene stealing Jeffrey DeMunn) to make up for the bumbling inefficiency of the bureaucrats and officials (led by Yaphet Kotto as Major Connolly) that gather outside.
An obvious predecessor to subsequent efforts such as "Outbreak", "28 Days Later", and "Rec", this has some very effective moments. It shows how things make a quick progression from bad to worse. Quinlan and Waterston are appealing in the leads, and the always excellent Kotto and DeMunn are joined by Richard Dysart, G.W Bailey, Jerry Hardin, Rick Rossovich, Scott Paulin, Keith Szarabajka, Jack Thibeau, and Meshach Taylor in the supporting cast. Bailey in particular is noteworthy because, in addition to his comic chops that he showcased as sneering antagonist Harris in the "Police Academy" series, he can do good dramatic work like he does here. Dysart is very amusing as his character Dr. Nielsen becomes more over the top.
Very entertaining overall for fans of this kind of thing, this does have protagonists that gain our sympathy and the appropriate amount of twists and turns in its story.
Eight out of 10.