The Manhattan Project: Special Edition

A smart, resourceful high school student discovers that a laboratory in his small town is secretly experimenting with plutonium, the key element in the manufacture of atomic bombs. Not only that, the scientist in charge of the project is dating the boy's mom, which makes it easier for the kid to borrow the doc's ID, slip into the lab, cop some of the infernal substance, and then proceed to make his own nuke…after which the device accidentally counts down to Armageddon. Oops! In 1986, The Manhattan Project's scenario seemed risibly implausible. Today, in a post-9/11 world, we're constantly warned about the threat of wild-eyed terrorists with sinister intentions doing exactly what young Paul Stephens (played by Christopher Collet) undertakes in writer-director Marshall Brickman's movie. What feels weird watching this now is that Paul's scheme—in which he's assisted by girlfriend Jenny (Cynthia Nixon), while his mom (Jill Eikenberry) flirts with good guy Dr. John Mathewson (John Lithgow)—is treated like some sort of lark, a lighthearted romp replete with the kind of fluffy, string-driven score common to featherweight romantic comedies. And though it's billed as a thriller, the tension is actually minimal until the very end. While The Manhattan Project is still reasonably entertaining, it also feels oddly anachronistic. DVD extras include a commentary track by Brickman, two "making-of" featurettes, and an optional ‘80s trivia text track. A strong optional purchase. (S. Graham)