L'homme traqué

It's 2008. Laws have been passed allowing suicide. A corporation named Lifecorps pays people to surrender their bodies to science. Someone goes there, is paid a given big amount of money and time later, he/she will have her body parts and organs delivered to whom may need it.

In that context, James Gabriel is a worker whose son is in serious condition in a hospital. With mounting debts, Gabriel is faced with the painful truth: his son has a supposedly already eradicated virus. The vaccines are too expensive and he has less than a day to get the money for them. Cornered by circumstances, he goes to Lifecorps. He is paid the money he needs and in a year he will be property of the corporation. However, when he returns, his son has already died and his body incinerated to prevent the disease from spreading.

The doctor tells him that the vaccine was refused by the providers... Lifecorps. He returns there to give the money back and is nicely told that the deal remains. He tosses the money around like confetti and walks away, cursing everyone. The head of Lifecorps, considering this an open statement that Gabriel won't fulfill the contract (anticipatory breach of contract, they call it), sends his "seekers", lead by a Mr. Burke after Gabriel. So Gabriel must escape, helped by a bounty hunter who first tries to get him but later helps him.

TV aired this one and I had nothing better to do. The movie has interesting action scenes and does not depict a highly technological future. Being TNT-produced, I'm bound to believe it's a TV release, what goes in favor of this film, and a not-big budget film, which allows to see actors out of the dreadful Hollywood mainstream. Eric Roberts is a good actor and does well, though his time has passed, and all he can apparently do now is appear in videos of Mariah Carey or The Killers. As for Cary Elwes, it's the first time I see him playing a real bad guy, and he has what it takes for that. Sarah Wynter is believable as Alex, the bounty hunter.

It's no masterpiece, but an interesting movie worth watching. 6

James Gabriel is a construction worker desperately trying to earn sufficient money to pay the hospital bills of his critically ill son Bobby. When a major safety incident sees him confront his supervisor, he is fired and left with no job. Unfortunately, the same day, he learns that his son's condition has worsened and, unless he gets a very expensive vaccination, he will die within 12 hours, a day at absolute most. With no other option James signs an agreement with company Lifecorps to sell his body for harvesting for organ transplants a year from now in exchange for $300,000. However when his son dies due to Lifecorps refusal to give him the vaccine ahead of payment, James returns the money and tells them where to put their contract. The Corporation takes this as a verbal refusal of contract and gets a court order to complete early – setting Burke and his men on him to bring him in.

Despite the mostly low-rent cast (no offence Roberts, Elwes, Wynter and Vendora but you're hardly A-list are you?), TVM status, afternoon scheduling and the fact that channel 5 was showing it, I decided to give this a go anyway. The plot offers a simple set-up to basically create a Running Man situation where a Corporation chases down its "property". The film offers plenty of potential for commentary on the future of Corporations, the commercialisation of health care and the role of individuals within this corporate world and I was hoping for the film to bring that out. It seems to lack the intelligence to go much beyond the surface but the concept and world set-up are interesting enough. The plot is reasonable simply but perhaps has too many leaps of logic and action-movie style silliness to allow me to take it too seriously. It moves with a nice slick pace though and, although I knew where it was going, I still quite enjoyed it as it moved along. Towards the end it starts to get sillier and more unlikely even within its own frame but again it worked at the level I was watching it at (even if it could have been better).

The cast are so-so for the most part but do OK considering the material and budget. For all his faults, Roberts always gives the impression that he is trying hard, even if he knows the film is weak. He makes a solid leading man here and is good value for this film. Elwes is hardly inspiring but he produces a serviceable villain. Sarandon and Vendora are not used as well as I would have liked, which was a shame as both seemed up for it. Wynter (who I only know from 24) was good enough but severely hampered by the fact that her character made very little sense – she quickly resorts to running, shooting and shouting in favour of anything more interesting to do.

Overall a so-so sci-fi that I enjoyed even though it gradually loses touch with the interesting material and just becomes a silly action movie towards the end. The cast help cover up the lack of budget but it never really gets above the level of TVM, although it works on that level.

In the future, US corporations take advantage of permissive suicide and health care laws to harvest human body parts. Those with healthy organs may trade them for a cash sum, upon death. If you plan to die quickly, you will get more money. Our story's hero is lowly high rise construction worker Eric Roberts (as James Gabriel). He is a poor widower, but in excellent health. "I never get sick," states Mr. Roberts. However, Roberts' son Daniel Magder (as Bobby) may not be so lucky. The child has contracted the dreaded "Ralph Virus" once thought to be extinct. It kills furiously fast, but there is a cure...

Alas, the vaccine is prohibitively expensive. With his son literally at death's door, Roberts signs a contract with the wickedly corrupt "Lifecorps" corporation, for $300,000. Roberts must turn over his body for harvesting in exactly one year, but the money will cure Bobby. Of course, things can go wrong...

Roberts is a reliable lead, as usual. He spars well with villainous Cary Elwes (as Burke), who is exceptional as elevator doors close on his face. Athletic blonde Sarah Wynter (as Alex) provides feminine companionship, but corporate officer Diane Venora (as Helen Steele) is the one with the more interesting yen for Roberts. "Lifecorps" sleaze Chris Sarandon (as Anton Stofeles) has little to do; it would have improved the story to have him be in desperate need of a Roberts body part. Robin Wilcock (as Rupert Elliot) is impressive. For a TNT Presents TV Movie, "Race Against Time" delivers the goods.

****** Race Against Time (7/23/00) Geoff Murphy ~ Eric Roberts, Cary Elwes, Sarah Wynter, Diane Venora

"Race Against Time" may be a formulaic television movie, but this should diminish the film. Eric Roberts is great and Cary Elwes is devilishly better in an awesome movie called "Race Against Time."

This is one of the most brilliant movies I have seen. The performances are awesome and best of all it is suspense filled. In addition to the suspense, "Race Against Time" brings non-stop, edge of your seat action and drama to a movie that has a star who acts in nothing but action movies.

I must give praise to the writers and director of "Race Against Time" because they took an awesome script and turned it into a work of art. A man signs his life away to save his son but when he discovers his son is dead, he breaks the agreement and runs for his life. Who wouldn't watch this movie after reading the plot? I know I would watch it.

The cast is phenomenal in "Race Against Time. Eric Roberts seems to get better and better with each role he takes. Roberts expands his acting skills from action to being a dedicated and caring father. It is always good to see that an actor can be versatile.

However, the best actor in this whole movie was the evil Cary Elwes. Elwes is the ultimate bad guy and he portrays the villain never well. I wish I never got on the wrong side of Mr. Elwes. Besides Elwes, the climax of this film makes this film so good.

"Race Against Time" is a heart-pumping, heart-warming, suspenseful and edge of your seat thriller that will involve you from start to finish. If you enjoy Eric Roberts you will enjoy "Race Against Time." TWO THUMBS WAY UP.

This is a TNT original made for TV movie. Like "Stiletto Dance" - also starring Roberts, it was filmed in Quebec.

This is a cool idea, sort of a "Die Hard" meets "The Running Man." Of course, it's not perfect. There are dialogue problems, there are continuity problems, there are acting problems. But hey, it was made for TV.

It looks futuristic as it is set in 2008. In some ways, I would think it might be a bit advanced for 2008 and in other ways the CHEESY computer graphics and such look right out of the early 1980's. So you have some exceptional work and some that is not good.

In one case, our main character busts the controls off of an elevator and instantly uses a wire touching a resistor to control the movements of the elevator. A bit too far fetched and this is not the only example of such.

Also, too much firepower with guys dressed in black uniforms. It becomes mundane when you constantly see black uniformed thugs constantly firing at our hero. C'mon now.

The basic premise of the movie is a good idea though: Selling your body for cash now and the delivery of body organs later. Unfortunately, this causes your death - and of course, the company that "buys you" intends to collect on what they purchased. That part is interesting.

So, what can we say for this? Well, it stars Eric Roberts and as far as I am concerned this guy can't really do anything wrong. Even in a bad movie, he makes it good. This guy should be starring in blockbusters as far as I am concerned. His acting and presence in this movie is excellent.

It's fun to watch and Eric Roberts is in it. Overlook the obvious flaws and it is 90 minutes of entertainment.