REVIEW – Quantum Apocalypse

Published on: 30th January, 2010

REVIEW - Quantum Apocalypse  | read this item

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If Hollywood eventually lost faith in Roland Emmerich and decided to give him restricted budgets then the end result could be something like Quantum Apocalypse. Following the filmmakers obsession with mankind pulling together in order to overcome a natural disaster, Justin Jones’ relatively low budget thriller plays out like one-part The Day After Tomorrow and one-part Michael Bay’s Armageddon. With the infinite mysteries of space providing endless scenarios for ways that the Earth could suddenly be destroyed, it is little wonder that the industry has exploited this unknown in such variety of ways. And, much like with Bay’s blockbuster, the danger in Quantum Apocalypse comes from outer space.

Scientists at the USSA are monitoring a passing comet when it suddenly changes direction and collides with Mars. Whilst damage from the fragments of the incident are the first concern, one doctor suggests a more serious threat: whatever caused the comet to change direction must be of significant size and power. Dr Zulkowski (Amol Shah) is convinced by his colleagues to draft in the help of Trish (Gigi Edgley) and Tom (Collin Galyean), two unconventional geeks who, despite their appearances, are geniuses. The incident is soon diagnosed and the conclusion is that some form of matter is approaching Earth and threatens to consume and destroy everything in its path, and with the world’s government unprepared there could be no way to stop it.

It is immediately apparent that Quantum Apocalypse is essentially a made-for-TV movie, much like something that would be produced for the Sci-Fi Channel (or, as it is known these days, Syfy). This is not necessarily a bad thing in some respects, but as the story progresses and the natural disasters begin to take over (due to the effect of both the matter and an attempt to shift the Earth’s axis by exploding nuclear weapons at the North Pole), the film’s small budget does become a problem. One of the more impressive set pieces shows New York engulfed by a tsunami, with the tide washing over both the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan. A scene where London is literally sucked into the sky is less effective, with some rather dubious CGI spoiling what could have otherwise been a tense moment.

Unsurprisingly, the performances on display range from impressive to pitiful. The most believable character is Terry, a Rain Man-like adult child whose mental condition has resulted in him remembering almost every random piece of information, making him almost a genius. Rhett Giles (who had previously worked with Jones on The Apocalypse back in 2007) gives an impressive turn by making the character three-dimensional without resorting to parody or clichés. The sequences inside the USSA are the most interesting, with the American scientists stumbling over each other in an effort to find a solution to the crisis.

Although Terry proves to be one of the highlights, his family give the worst performances, particularly his teenage nephew Leo, whose puppy love for blonde classmate Lindsey (Kristen Quintrall) gives the romantic subplot a One Tree Hill feel. By far the worst performances come from Stephanie Jacobsen (as Leo’s stepmother Lynne) and Peter Jurasik, as the US president. Aside from the average special effects, the film’s greatest weakness is its ending, which slowly builds to an apocalyptic climax, only for the entire scenario to be tied up in a matter of seconds. Certainly not a masterpiece and not even essential viewing, Quantum Apocalypse is still watchable viewing if taken as a TV movie.

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