GUENOT PHILIPPE I am surprised that no one has noticed that this film may have inspired 24 series, that's my own opinion at least. I appreciated this TV movie, very well paced but unfortunately too much foreesable, predictable. Good job anyway, no problem.

Wizard-8 The made for TV thriller "Pursuit" has some interest in not only is it based on a Michael Crichton novel (written under a pseudonym), but that Michael Crichton directed it, making his directorial debut. But there is additional interest to be found here. What will strike many modern day viewers is that despite the subject matter, the tone of the movie is significantly restrained. There isn't a swift pace or a feeling that things are going to really fall apart at any second. Though that may not sound like the right tone, it actually is convincing; we see that the government agents are well trained and professional, so they of course are conditioned not to panic. The movie also works well because of its short length (74 minutes) - there's no padding on display here, and the story moves briskly as a result. The only real flaw the movie has is that it doesn't hide the conspiracy very well - most viewers will have a reasonable guess as to what is being planned long before the government agents find out. But even though you will probably guess what is happening early on, the movie remains very effective.

blanche-2 E.G. Marshall is a political activist who intends to release nerve gas into San Diego, where the Republican national convention is being held. Ben Gazzara and his team are assigned to capture him and stop the gas from being stolen.Written and directed by Michael Crichton, this was a low-budget TV movie, though it deserved better. What's always interesting about any films with a political slant -- even back to 1930 -- is that politics haven't changed, and most of the time, the speeches and situations remain timely. This movie is no different. Just listen to what E.G. Marshall has to say.It was wonderful to see Ben Gazzara, William Windom, Joseph Wiseman, and a baby-faced Martin Sheen in this - all of them were very prevalent in the TV of my youth, as was Jim McMullan, who had dark hair then.Very suspenseful.

JACK SOUTH (JSouth1) ***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** I had been waiting to see this movie since i saw most of it 3 years ago while on vacation in myrtle beach, s.c.Was it EVER worth the wait!The subject of chemical weapons terrorism could be taken out of todays headlines. Perhaps that is why no network im my area has shown it. I was lucky enough to come across a used copy on e bay. I can't stop watching it!!Michael crichton's influnce is obvious here, with a plot that begins quickly, and builds to an unexpected twist in the climax. Though some of the early digital technology shows it age,(the control unit with lots of blinking lights and switches, as is the case with most early computer technology in the movies), this does not diminish from the suspense that this movie carries. An on screen digital countdown appears frequently, further alerting the viewer that SOMETHING BIG IS COMING.The cat and mouse action between ben gazzara and e.g. marshall is very intriguing. Every time gazzara thinks he is one step ahead, marshall surprises him.Near the end of the movie, marshall is caught and the nerve gas bomb is disarmed. ,or so it appears. Just when it seems that the good guys have won, crichton throws in one more twist. It is a race aginst time for a federal agent to find a hidden bomb that is a fail-safe, designed to release the gas onto san diego if the primary system is defeated.A heart-stopping sequence occurs when the agent has to race down many flights of stairs to get a bomb-sniffer, and then back up again ,because the elevators in the apartment building where the gas is at have been disabled. Of course ,the agent is able to save the day in the end.As I write this on september 10, we here in the U.S. are at orange alert as a result of terroristic threats.This movie was made 30 years ago, but with its plot of chemical terrorism ,it could have been made yesterday.If you like techno/political thrillers, and can find a copy of this movie, it is well worth your time.I rate this movie at a 9 out of 10!!!!!