Freeman plays Paul Shannon, a mystery man who runs an organization funding a revolutionary energy project. Headquartered in Chicago, it has the potential for wiping out any need for gas and oil while providing a nonpolluting, limitless source of power. When the entire plant suddenly blows up and the explosion devastates much of Chicago, Shannon is placed at the center of the investigation into what happened. The FBI taps his phone while he helps two young protegees who have been framed for the crime. It doesn't take long before you're looking for clues for Shannon's motivation in every nuance of Freeman's voice, face and body language.
Freeman plays it cool, almost deadpan, and that's exactly what the material requires.
That's for him to know and you to figure out. There's nothing else going on in Chain Reaction . No wonder Reeves recently bailed out of Speed 2 . Their extremely tentative relationship is what passes for a love interest in Chain Reaction . Now that he's back, he can't seem to get the old rhythm going.