EricBraedenstarsasDr.CharlesForbin,whohascreatedasupercomputernamedColossus,builtsolelyforthepurposeofcontrollingthenucleardefensesoftheWesternalliance.Itisn'ttoolongafter,however,thattheRussiansannouncethattheytoohavebuiltasimilarcomputerforthosesamepurposesontheirside--Guardian.Andwhenthetwomachinesbeginsharinginformationataspeednobodycanbelieve,anattemptismadetodisablethem. Thisunfortunatelyjustraisesthemachines'ire;andinretaliation,theylaunchtheirweaponsateachother'shomenations.Theresultisachillingscenariothatispotentiallybecomingalltoorealthesedays. COLOSSUS:THEFORBINPROJECTwasnotabighitattheboxofficeforvariousreasons.Oneisthatitscastwasn'texactlywellknown.Anotherreasonisthatitsendingisn'texactlyahappyone.StillathirdreasonisthatUniversalhadtroubletryingtopromoteitinthewakeofthehugesuccessofStanleyKubrick's2001:ASPACEODYSSEY.Thelatterreasonisobvious:ColossusandGuardian,likeHALintheKubrickmovie,becomecentralcharactershere.ThedifferencehereisthatwhileHALmalfunctionsduetoaprogrammingconflict,ColossusandGuardianremainalltoostable,convincedbeyondadoubtthattheyknowhowtoprotectMankindbetterthanManhimself.Asthecomputerspointout:"OneinevitableruleisthatMankindishisownworstenemy." JosephSargent'sdirectionisefficient,andthespecialeffectsworkofAlbertWhitlockstillmanagestoworkdespiteitsobviousage.Anoverlookedgeminthesci-figenre,thisshouldbegivenarevival.
