It doesn’t need to be “Saw IV” to be unnervingly creepy.
If you want to give your older children that tingling gut-sense of disturbing science fiction, without truckloads of blood and gore, rent “The Andromeda Strain” from 1971.
A military space probe lands in remote New Mexico, apparently carrying a virus that wipes out an entire small town, save for a wailing baby and an old drunk. A top-secret, highly sophisticated investigative protocol swoops into place, sending the nation’s top medical and scientific minds to a remote lab to study this horrific threat to all of humankind.
Best-selling author Michael Crichton was first a Harvard Med School grad, and “The Andromeda Strain” is both a taut thriller and a careful reconstruction of the scientific method. Our heroes endure wicked decontamination before setting upon their analysis with plausible rigor.
As usual with Crichton’s work, “Andromeda” is both enamored by science and skeptical of megalomaniacs who think they can harness nature for “advancement.”
While much of the movie is quietly methodical, there are some chilling moments, most notably when space-suited doctors explore the dead town. They cut open a victim’s wrist, and crimson, powdered blood sifts out.
“Andromeda” is rated G, but it will be disturbing or simply dull for younger children. Save it for a ‘tweener or teenager with a willingness to try “old” movies.
Each Tuesday, Michael Booth uncovers a movie gem for families in search of rewarding entertainment. He can be reached at 303-954-1686 or at mbooth@denverpost.com; find the Screen Team blog at denverpostbloghouse.com.
“The Andromeda Strain”
Rated|G, with disturbing images, brief nudity in a medical context and mature themes.
Most appealing|Children 11 or older
