5ive Days to Midnight (2004)

Thisssssss Manyyyyyyy!!!!

Genre: Action Drama Sci-Fi Thriller Mini-Series (USA, Canada)

Starring: Timothy Hutton (Kinsey; The Dark Half), Randy Quaid (Hard Rain; Quick Change)

Directed By: Michael W. Watkins ("The X Files"; "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman")

Overview: A man discovers his own police report, which tells him that his murder will take place five days later. He does what he can to see if it's a hoax, or if it's a genuine warning from the future.

Acting: The acting had a hint of low-budge directing feel to it. Everyone did well, but every actor (except the kid) seemed so much more melodramatic than they should have been. The cast is all familiar and they could have done well if they had a better script, and better direction, but once you get used to the fact that everyone overacts a little, it's good.
Rating: 6

Cinematography: Again, a touch of the low-budge but really nothing bad. There were a couple of special effects that seemed thrown in to make things look cool, but they were hit and miss, the camera effects tended to work, whereas the actual CGI sort of failed, as they seemed out of context (just inner narrative type stuff). All in all it was fine overall.
Rating: 6

Script: The script was decent and fine, but the child really seemed too smart for her age in what she said. As for the way the conclusion unfolded in the script, again it seemed a touch over the top. It wasn't anything bad though, it was fine. Rating: 6

Plot: The plot is what I liked most here. Really intriguing, amazing premise. This physicist guy finds a briefcase, and first he thinks it's a hoax, but we all know it's from the future, and the questions really are: who sent it, can you change the future, what are it's effects etc... But what was really great is the list of suspects for his murder. In the beginning you know who it has to be, then you start wondering, then maybe everyone has a motive! Without the plot I'd have given up. Twists and turns all over the place, really great, decent ending too.
Rating: 8

Mood: The mood was good, a touch too long though. The intro credits and the score were really well done, really set the mood, but the mood seemed to lack intensity because of some overly done scenes. It's as though the writer had to lengthen the time of the series to fit his vision. It didn't feel like anyone was setting a pace, so much as they were burning time.
Rating: 6

"WTF, they teleport me this lifesaving briefcase from the effin' future and they forget the key?!"

Overall Rating: 64% (How Long?!)

Aftertaste: Maybe I was too hard on it cause I really wanted it to be better, for all its potential. The continuity is great and the premise is wicked but there didn't seem to be enough budget for a proper amount of takes and re-writes. I'll remember it though, I dug it alright, and I learned an important lesson: When doing a movie about changing the future, it's up in the air what the writer decides the physics in his universe are. Is it all pre-destined or is it mutable? And then the rest of the time we just wait and see, which I think is pretty neat.