Unassuming and easygoing, Chill Factor is one of those entertaining action movies that fell through the cracks in the nineties. You’ve all heard The Last Boy Scout, Demolition Man, or The Long Kiss Goodnight but I bet you haven’t heard of this movie. It’s perfect for those lazy and hangover Sundays when you need something to tie you over. As soon as it starts you will realize that the story is something you’ve heard a thousand times before. It’s like a blend between Speed and Chain Reaction.
However, Chill Factor offers enough thrills and good jokes to warrant a viewing. We will be following two ordinary guys as they’re trying to drive a bomb to an army base and not get killed. Cuba Gooding Jr. and Skeet Ulrich had great chemistry as those two guys and Peter Firth was channeling his inner Kurt Russel as the bad guy. What I also liked about this movie is that there’s no romance. We’re focused on the action and thrills without those impotent and formulaic attempts at love interests and other shenanigans.
After an experiment that horrifically failed some ten years ago, Dr. Richard Long is still trying to get over the trauma. Colonel Andrew Brynner feels the same as he took the responsibility for the tragedy that resulted in the deaths of 18 soldiers under his command. Just released from prison he’s about to embark on a suicidal revenge mission. And no one can stop him. Well, there could be this store clerk and truck driver but they could be busy…
Chill Factor is one of those movies you can watch with two functioning brain cells. The storytelling is straightforward and the script tight. And sure, the whole thing is a bit predictable but I think that it actually comes off as cute and charming. In a B-action movie way to be precise. That being said, the production values are excellent along with visuals. The cinematography has that sharp and sleek vibe that was popular at the turn of the century. This is not a surprise since the budget for the movie was a whopping $34 million.
I still remember the name of the truck from Chill Factor, Old Pitt. Now, that means something. Probably that there are a lot of chase scenes and there are a lot of them. And we will get every cliche we could possibly get. From trucks transporting wood over bikes running into stuff to finally fights on roofs. So, try to relax and let this movie take you for a ride. And if you’re looking for similar movies, take a look at our Subversive Rabbit selection of Movies About Driving.
Director: Hugh Johnson
Writers: Drew Gitlin, Mike Cheda
Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr., Skeet Ulrich, Peter Firth, David Paymer, Hudson Leick, Jim Grimshaw
Fun Facts: None of the filming took place in Missoula, MT.
Rating:
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163579/
