The Trigger Effect
The Trigger Effect | |
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Directed by | David Koepp |
Written by | David Koepp |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Newton Thomas Sigel |
Edited by | Jill Savitt |
Music by | James Newton Howard |
Production company | |
Distributed by | |
Release date |
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Running time | 94 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $3.6 million[1] |
The Trigger Effect is a 1996 American thriller film written and directed by David Koepp and starring Kyle MacLachlan, Elisabeth Shue and Dermot Mulroney. The film follows the downward spiral of society during a widespread and lengthy power outage in Southern California.
Plot
A blackout struck the town of Annie (Elisabeth Shue) and Matthew (Kyle MacLachlan), a young couple with a sick infant. Not long, the couple started to abide the law in order to protect themselves and to steal some medicine for their sick child. The power stayed out for several days that cause the society to erupt with violence. The couple, with their friend Joe (Dermot Mulroney), decided to flee to Annie's parent's house. During the long trip they needed to stop in an abandoned car in order to steal gasoline, but Joe was shot by a man who is guarding the car. Matthew desperately calls help in a near by farmhouse, but still failed because of lack of trust. Matthew confronted the man while holding a shotgun and a commotion started which ended when the man's little daughter entered the room. The man agreed to help Matthew. After several days the power return and so the society returned to its normal stated, though Matthew's family and his neighbors are somewhat different because of their experiences on the blackout.
Cast
- Kyle MacLachlan as Matthew
- Elisabeth Shue as Annie Kay
- Dermot Mulroney as Joe
- Bill Smitrovich as Steph
- Michael Rooker as Gary
- Richard T. Jones as Raymond
- Jack Noseworthy as Prowler
- Richard Schiff as Gun shop clerk
Release
The Trigger Effect was released on August 30, 1996. It grossed $1.9 million on its opening weekend and opened in 12th place.[2] It went on to earn $3.6 million in the US.[1] It was released on VHS in January 1997.[3]
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes reports that 75% of 24 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 6.4/10.[4] Ken Eisner of Variety described it as "a bleak, highly stylized view of modern civilization" that is too didactic and obvious.[5] Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote, "Mr. Koepp knows more about setting up this gripping, high-concept crisis than about where it leads."[6] Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly rated it a letter grade of B and wrote that the ending is disappointingly safe compared to the riskier narrative prior to it.[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b "The Trigger Effect". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
- ^ "MORNING REPORT". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
- ^ Nichols, Peter M. (1997-01-31). "Home Video". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
- ^ "The Trigger Effect (1996)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
- ^ Eisner, Ken (1996-06-10). "Review: 'The Trigger Effect'". Variety. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (1996-08-30). "Urban Jitters Going Critical". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
- ^ Schwarzbaum, Lisa (1996-09-13). "The Trigger Effect". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
External links
- 1996 films
- 1990s thriller films
- American films
- American psychological thriller films
- English-language films
- Directorial debut films
- Films set in California
- Films shot in California
- 1990s psychological thriller films
- Amblin Entertainment films
- Gramercy Pictures films
- Universal Pictures films
- Films scored by James Newton Howard
- Films directed by David Koepp
- Screenplays by David Koepp