Millenium

This movie should be a total piece of ****, but what comes through all the bad acting, cheesy effects, bizarre plot turns, and embarrassing characters, is a lot of heart and an actual dark and dank apocalyptic film which is just as optimistic, NAY MORE OPTIMISTIC, than anything the STAR TREK universe has presented to us viewers to date. Yes, you can have it both in this movie...the end of the world AND the rescue of humankind. It's all in this little grade "B" movie which is filled with so many idiosyncrasies that it's a hoot to watch more than once.

Here's a guilty pleasure for science-fiction buffs: Kris Kristofferson plays a plane crash investigator who becomes involved with a mysterious woman (the smoldering Cheryl Ladd, looking quite the fox); turns out she's a time-traveling visitor from the future who rescues doomed passengers aboard crippled airliners, replacing them with lookalike corpses. Intriguing premise gets a decent treatment on a medium-sized budget. The plot threads are wound fairly tight and the story plays out satisfyingly. Daniel J. Travanti is terrific in support as a wily physicist and time travel specialist with a Cheshire cat-like grin; Kristofferson is quite commendable, and Ladd is frequently amazing. A real sleeper, and an entertaining slice of '80s cinema. *** from ****

Millennium is a movie that does not fully convince as a sci-fi probably because of the rather tired romance plot added to the script. It does however have a rather intriguing storyline; two passenger planes collide in mid air, and ominous effects start to abound upon the investigating officer. His enquiries are further enhanced by premonitions of an attractive young woman who may hold the key to why the crash happened...

Kris Kristofferson and Cheryl Ladd prove themselves as credible film stars, but their talents are hampered by the poor overall impression given out by Millennium. The script is not the last word in brilliance, and that simple romance plot we witness leaves a lot to be desired. Add to that rather tame special effects and a sudden uninspiring ending, Millennium is certainly no masterpiece and will be easily forgotten.

An interesting premise proves a let down for an avid film fan like myself but is lifted up by Ladd, who proves she can portray a character far beyond Angel Kris Munroe. 5/10.

This is a neat "what's going on here" mystery with plenty of clues, if you watch closely. The time travel premise is great and the story is told from the perspective of present day. That is, until the secret is revealed. Then the mysterious parts are retold, in flashback, from the perspective of the future. Kris is OK, Cheryl is wonderful (as usual), and Travanti almost steals the show.

Millennium is one the few movies about time travel that stays true to the original source material. This far-out John Varley narrative is brought to the screen as faithfully as can be imagined. If you've ever wondered what really happens during so-called "natural" disasters, this is the script for you. The film is pure science fiction -- fun to watch, but impossible to understand unless close attention is paid. Stay awake and you'll be astonished by this story. Kristofferson and Ladd are surprisingly well paired, and the time-traveling Ladd is 100% believable in this mind-bending scenario. The sole jarring note is the voice-over coda at the end of the film -- an un-credited Churchill quote that sounds comical and out-of-place. This is one of the most under-appreciated movies of the '80s.