EricBraedenstarsasDr.CharlesForbin,whohascreatedasupercomputernamedColossus,builtsolelyforthepurposeofcontrollingthenucleardefensesoftheWesternalliance.Itisn'ttoolongafter,however,thattheRussiansannouncethattheytoohavebuiltasimilarcomputerforthosesamepurposesontheirside--Guardian.Andwhenthetwomachinesbeginsharinginformationataspeednobodycanbelieve,anattemptismadetodisablethem.
Thisunfortunatelyjustraisesthemachines'ireandinretaliation,theylaunchtheirweaponsateachother'shomenations.Theresultisachillingscenariothatispotentiallybecomingalltoorealthesedays.
COLOSSUS:THEFORBINPROJECTwasnotabighitattheboxofficeforvariousreasons.Oneisthatitscastwasn'texactlywellknown.Anotherreasonisthatitsendingisn'texactlyahappyone.StillathirdreasonisthatUniversalhadtroubletryingtopromoteitinthewakeofthehugesuccessofStanleyKubrick's2001:ASPACEODYSSEY.Thelatterreasonisobvious:ColossusandGuardian,likeHALintheKubrickmovie,becomecentralcharactershere.ThedifferencehereisthatwhileHALmalfunctionsduetoaprogrammingconflict,ColossusandGuardianremainalltoostable,convincedbeyondadoubtthattheyknowhowtoprotectMankindbetterthanManhimself.Asthecomputerspointout:"OneinevitableruleisthatMankindishisownworstenemy."
JosephSargent'sdirectionisefficient,andthespecialeffectsworkofAlbertWhitlockstillmanagestoworkdespiteitsobviousage.Anoverlookedgeminthesci-figenre,thisshouldbegivenarevival.