The China Syndrome

The China Syndrome follows reporter Kimberly Wells (Jane Fonda) as she and her crew (including Michael Douglas’ Richard Adams) arrive at a nuclear facility for a standard profile, with the puff piece taking on a far scarier dimension after an incident occurs during an ordinary tour. (Jack Lemmon costars as the man in charge during the aforementioned incident.) Filmmaker James Bridges has infused The China Syndrome with a deliberate, slow-burn sort of feel that proves an ideal complement for his, Mike Gray, and T.S Cook’s screenplay, and there’s little doubt that the movie benefits substantially from the stellar work of its various performers – with, especially, Lemmon’s often riveting turn as the progressively skeptical Jack Godell certainly standing as an obvious highlight within the proceedings. The procedural-like bent of the picture’s first half does result in a watchable yet somewhat erratic atmosphere, as some sequences are able to pack a far more interesting and intriguing punch than others (although, having said that, the movie undoubtedly stands as an eye-opening portrait of the 1970s TV news business). The China Syndrome’s slow-yet-steady transformation into a surprisingly taut thriller paves the way for a gripping final third, which ultimately does cement its place as one of the decade’s more overtly prescient endeavors.

*** out of ****