Many is the time familiar formulas have been recycled successfully. Character motivations are unclear and often absurd, and the characters themselves are thinly sketched. Sequences meant to intrigue and hold our attention are off the rack, and they play too familiar and flat. Those who understand these subjects less may feel baffled and lost in the jargon. What nudged the production over the edge into Critical Mass was the casting.
Reeves is less animated here than a potted plant and less engaging than a bowl of pasta.
Personally, I was too busy watching the perky Sandra Bullock and waiting for the re-appearance of bad guy Dennis Hopper to be distracted by Reeve s wooden performance. Reeves plays machinist, Eddie Kasalivich, the sole survivor of an explosion which levels eight city blocks of The Windy City. The lab disaster followed on the heels of a successful experiment that managed to extract considerable amounts of energy from hydrogen atoms. Of course, being the only survivor makes Kasalivich a prime suspect. As the convoluted story unfolds, the questions are begged.