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Spawn
He's a superhero from Hell...really!
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Spawn
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Rated PG-13
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Starring Michael Jai White, John Leguizamo, Martin Sheen
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93 minutes
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Review by Kathie Huddleston
 l Simmons (White) is a loving husband and a top secret government assassin who wants out. He's killed once too often, and too many innocent lives have been lost in the name of a "just" cause. When Simmons tries to quit, his boss Wynn (Sheen) asks him to do one more important job first. Simmons agrees.
However, the mission--to destroy a biological weapons factory--is a set-up. Wynn, who is quite literally in league with the devil, betrays and murders Simmons, sending him to Hell. In Hell the devil agrees to let Simmons return to Earth to see his wife, but only after Simmons makes a compact to lead Hell's army against the gates of Heaven. The devil sends Simmons back to Earth, but he arrives five years after his death and hideously disfigured, to find that he is no longer Al Simmons. He has become Spawn, the champion of Hell, a superhero with demonic forces at his control...if he can learn to master them.
But Simmons is not yet ready to accept his role as Spawn. He tries to see his wife, only to find that she has married to his former best friend and partner. Meanwhile, the devil has sent a representative called The Clown (Leguizamo) to bring out Spawn's vengeful nature and force him into unleashing Armageddon. The Clown systematically goads Spawn into a series of encounters designed to strip him of his remaining humanity and his past identity, and it seems to be working. And while Simmons is not yet ready to give in to the devil, he will have to conquer his own inner demons before he can hope to take on the quite tangible outer forces that Hell has sent against him...
Not just another pretty face
Spawn, based on the comic books by Todd McFarlane, is a visual feast with an edgy style that outdoes most of this year's blockbusters on a fraction of the budget. Much of the credit goes to McFarlane, who refused to sell out his vision of the movie.
And while the special effects of Hell and Spawn's living cape are incredible (and worth the price of a ticket), the film wouldn't fly if it weren't for the powerful characters of Spawn and The Clown. Both White and Leguizamo do an amazing job under mountains of make-up and special effects. White is terrific as both Al Simmons and Spawn and, unlike the interchangeable Batmen, it's hard to imagine anyone else playing the part. Equally amazing is Leguizamo as The Clown, a character who is disgusting, scary and hysterical all at once. The living characters of Wanda (Randle), Terry Fitzgerald (D.B. Sweeney) and, especially, Wynn just aren't as much fun as the undead ones.
While Spawn is an intense roller coaster ride, it does suffer from a thin plot with several pesky logic problems. There is a whole story line that revolves around a killer virus stolen from the biological weapons plant that Hell apparently needs to help destroy the Earth, but it's never clear why Hell needs conventional weapons or Wynn's help to get them. And it's equally unclear why Hell needs Simmons to lead its army when there seem to be a lot of bad dead people they could get to do the job. Still, it's hard to get too caught up with the film's faults, considering the fast pace, stunning visuals and terrific characters.
The film will undoubtedly spawn a sequel, which will allow Spawn's creators to spend more energy on the story now that the introductions are out of the way. Spawn's a compelling superhero. Let's hope they continue to do it right. -- Kat
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Bombshell
Nanotech can be a powerful medicine...or a terrible weapon
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Bombshell
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Starring Henry Thomas, Mädchen Amick, Frank Whaley
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The Sci-Fi Channel
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Saturday, August 16, 2 p.m. ET
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Review by Kathie Huddleston
 n the near future, scientist Buck Corgan (Thomas) and his assistant Malcom (Whaley) work for Nanolab developing cancer-fighting nanotechnology. Just as they are about to begin human trials, they discover problems with some of the test animals. The drug they are producing may, in fact, cause cancer.
Buck goes to his superior, Donald (Brion James), to ask that they hold off on the human testing until the problem can be studied. But Donald and Nanolab are out of time, and Donald insists on pushing the tests forward.
On his way home that night, Buck is attacked by someone in a mask and knocked unconscious. He wakes up to discover that he has been operated on. His girlfriend, Angeline (Amick), forces him to go to the hospital, where they discover that Buck's kidney is missing and something has been put in its place--something that can't be removed.
As Buck and Angeline try to discover what is going on, Buck is forced by the masked assailant to find and deliver a series of mysterious packages. However, each time Buck gets a package, it seems to make him sicker. As he races against the clock and against whatever is growing inside him, Buck must uncover who the masked assailant is and discover what is really happening to him.
It's a bomb all right
Bombshell, a Sci-Fi Channel original movie, explores nanotechnology, a subject that hasn't been covered often on screen. Unfortunately, as written and directed by Paul Wynne, what could have been a fascinating story is nothing more than a tired rehash of every Big-Business Money-Is-The-Bottom-Dollar thriller that's been made in the last 20 years. There is nothing new or original here, except the very slight twist that involves nanotechnology. However, even that is of minor importance to the contrived plot.
What's more, the treatment of the more mundane elements is unrealistic as well. For instance, Buck is able to run, fight and drive cars really fast just hours after having a kidney removed. It's unfortunate that Bombshell isn't better, because there are hints that the film's creators were trying to create a realistic, if not unique, near future. Cars have onboard computers which warn of traffic problems, phones are voice activated and video linked, and nanotechnology is the future of medicine. However, none of it creates a very compelling movie.
Overall, the actors are fine and do what they can with their stereotyped roles. Thomas (fans will remember him from E.T.) is a pretty good actor, but as Buck he doesn't have much to do except grasp at his side and run around with a worried look on his face.
While I think the makers of Bombshell had good intentions, Bombshell is pretty much a bomb. -- Kathie
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