Product: Frequency (2000)
Rating: 4.0
This is good thriller making!
The year 2000 was a banner year for New Line Cinema, with the releases of such successful movies as the science fiction thriller "The Cell" and the horror film "Final Destination." One of the movies among this group of terrific releases is "Frequency," which takes a scientific occurence and turns it into a genuine thriller with tons of surprises and twists. With a truly original plot and a cast of superb actors, this is as good as thrillers get.Police officer John Sullivan is having a tough spot in life. He can't stop thinking about his father, who died thirty years ago when he was a small child. Being a firefighter, Frank Sullivan cares for his wife and kids as much as any husband and father can, so when someone starts using the same frequency as he is on his ham radio, he becomes even more freaked out when he starts realizing that he is talking to his son who is 30 years in the future. Likewise, John is also confused yet exhilarated that he has the chance to talk to his father, and when he gives Frank a piece of information that saves his life, newspapers and family photos magically transform to show his life prolonged until the 80's. However, when a string of murders is set in motion in 1969, Frank and John must work together to catch the murderer before he can reach his next victim: Frank's wife and John's mother.If you think this all sounds confusing, believe me, the only confusing thing about it is trying to think of how to write a synopsis of it. It's not that difficult to comprehend, and while it is not over-simplified, everything is pretty straightforward and understandable. The audience will be able to tell the two time periods about by either looking for the characters' age and appearance, or by the sweeping shots of the aurora borealis, which serves as the link that connects father and son on the radio.Being a student of science, I think I can speak accurately in saying that the science behind the movie is very precise and careful not to stretch credulity. The whole idea for the connection is based on the aurora borealis, or northern lights, which are particles from the sun hitting the surface of Earth's atmosphere, causing interference in most broadcasts and transmissions. The idea that some of those particles can carry transmissions from the past is perfectly fitting for the movie, and hardly makes it not worth watching.The film has an incredibly high amount of intense action and suspense, especially in the second half. Most notably is the sequence in which Frank is caught in the burning building and must make a decision as to where he must go to get out. Most pessimists out there will shrug this scene off with the notion, "Oh, he's going to live because there's another hour of movie to go." But don't say I didn't warn you if you don't find yourself on the edge of your seat the whole way through.Casting for this movie was a big plus, one of the better ensembles I've seen for a movie like this. It works because everyone fits, molded to the roles they play. Dennis Quaid's performance as Frank Sullivan is incredible, and since he is most of the movie's life force, he carries it off in a fashion that makes the tension even tighter. John Caviezel plays John Sullivan, the slightly emotional and yet smart police officer and grown son of Frank. His acting really brings out the character's strength and heroicism. Because I don't want to ruin the ending for you, I'm not going to mention the actor who plays the villian, but I can say that he is the true embodiment of a movie villain: dark, sinister, and a slick character when faced with possible defeat.The thriller genre is becoming quite tired these days with the same old plot and character development, and it's quite a refreshment to watch "Frequency." A terrific action piece and even a family film by most standards, you'll find it to be quite original, entertaining, and thrilling in all the right places.