Stupid me! I thought MGM and sci fi would = something like Forbidden Planet. Or at least some high-production-values Irwin Allen schlock. But wow. This clunker!
The premise is that after an earthquake in Turkey, and not-very-dramatc tidal flooding, the world needs a seismic warning system: basically sensors that are dropped onto the sea bed, and then, through an explosion, somehow anchored in place. So the U.S. assembles a five-person crew of "experts" -- one female and four males -- to take a mini-sub around the world to plant the devices. Boredom ensues.
There's a running joke about a chess game. Some murky past affair between David MaCallum (Man from U.N.C.L.E's Illya Kuryakin) and Bond girl Shirley Eaton. A low pressure (PSI < 2) romance between Eaton and Brian Kelly (of Flipper fame!). Long stretches off stock footage of wales and fish. A 50-square foot set. And two hamsters getting tossed about in their glass enclosure.
There was no physical jeopardy of any consequence by 1 hr and 1 minute when I surfaced and crawled out the hatch of this snoozer. (I actually fell asleep; should have brewed some strong coffee). The world was not in danger. Nor the crew. Failure to finish the mission would result in, well, what? A sternly written letter from the government's contracting department and some unpaid invoices? Maybe the plot picked up in the last 50 minutes? I'll never know. I doubt it.
Just avoid if you are looking for schlocky, fun sci-fi or just simple adventure. As one of the other reviewers wrote, this was made at MGM's nadir, so maybe that's it.
The premise is that after an earthquake in Turkey, and not-very-dramatc tidal flooding, the world needs a seismic warning system: basically sensors that are dropped onto the sea bed, and then, through an explosion, somehow anchored in place. So the U.S. assembles a five-person crew of "experts" -- one female and four males -- to take a mini-sub around the world to plant the devices. Boredom ensues.
There's a running joke about a chess game. Some murky past affair between David MaCallum (Man from U.N.C.L.E's Illya Kuryakin) and Bond girl Shirley Eaton. A low pressure (PSI < 2) romance between Eaton and Brian Kelly (of Flipper fame!). Long stretches off stock footage of wales and fish. A 50-square foot set. And two hamsters getting tossed about in their glass enclosure.
There was no physical jeopardy of any consequence by 1 hr and 1 minute when I surfaced and crawled out the hatch of this snoozer. (I actually fell asleep; should have brewed some strong coffee). The world was not in danger. Nor the crew. Failure to finish the mission would result in, well, what? A sternly written letter from the government's contracting department and some unpaid invoices? Maybe the plot picked up in the last 50 minutes? I'll never know. I doubt it.
Just avoid if you are looking for schlocky, fun sci-fi or just simple adventure. As one of the other reviewers wrote, this was made at MGM's nadir, so maybe that's it.