All of TVGuide.com Videos Only

The Manhattan Project

1986, Movie, PG-13, 120 mins

The Manhattan Project: Review

What would happen if a private citizen, on his own, were able to construct a nuclear bomb capable of mass annihilation? This familiar but fascinating premise is explored here through the eyes of Paul Stephens (Christopher Collet), a sensitive teenager. Paul meets scientist John Mathewson (John Lithgow), who takes the gifted youth on a tour of his "research firm," which, Paul realizes, is a government front for developing nuclear weapons. Determined to expose the operation, Paul sets out to steal some plutonium, which will enable him to build his own nuclear device. The movie features a number of fascinating sequences, particularly Paul's clever methods for infiltrating plant security to gain the plutonium, and also benefits from a thrilling and action-packed climax. This exciting, if conventional, teen thriller effectively makes its points about the dangers of the nuclear age. It features a fine performance from Lithgow as the brilliant yet troubled scientist, and writer-director Marshall Brickman does a nice job of emphasizing human values. leave a comment