Movie Review: The China Syndrome (1979)
The China Syndrome describes a hypothetical situation in which a nuclear meltdown causes the reactor to melt through the containment and penetrate the earth “all the way to China”.
Plot Summary: During a nuclear power plant coverage, reporter Kimberly Wells (Jane Fonda) and cameraman Richard Adams (Michael Douglas) witness an “accident” that the plant officials soon dismiss as nothing serious. Jack Godell (Jack Lemmon), an experienced and responsible supervisor of the plant, begins to suspect what he feels during the “accident” is indeed dangerous and requires immediate action. Together with Kimberly and Richard, they decide to expose and confront the company that tries to cover up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It’s extremely powerful, and the story stays with me long after. What catches my attention first is the vivid characters. Kimberly is a rising star in the news industry, yet her bosses never give her “serious news” to report. The accidental discovery of this event ignites her passion as an investigative journalist, and she eventually teams up with Jack.
Jack has worked for the plant for many years; he not only loves his job, but also shows how much he is willing to go further for the truth even if that might jeopardize his life. Both characters have convincing motivations and memorable personalities; in the climactic and rather dramatic scenes towards the end, not a single line or action is out of place; the story runs smoothly and satisfactorily.
The story is also very realistic. Nowadays, nuclear power is still a much-debated subject, “The China Syndrome” provides us a glimpse of how fragile the nuclear plant can be. Inspired by a true event, the story catches me even more with its realistic portrayal of political play and how big corporations attempt to cover up any dangerous issues to generate revenue. The company’s official reaction to Jack’s effort is disappointing but not surprising, as Jack, an obvious hero, is described as “disturbed” and “out of his mind”.
One tiny detail I remember the most is when Jack demands an interview as he takes over the control room. While on air, he stammers and struggles to get his ideas across. I was so frustrated and wanted to jump into the movie to help him! Then I realize how genius this scene is: Jack is just a dedicated worker who is being pushed to his limit; he is not a trained speaker and never a dangerous man. All he wants is to tell everyone there is a serious problem in this plant, and the company forces him to use an extreme way to get the message across.
An extremely sad but realistic film, yet it does offer a glimpse of hope for those who fight for what is right. If you like investigative journalism movies with thought-provoking plots and vivid characters, this is for you.
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Modified from my original post in “A Tribute to the Classic Movies”: https://www.facebook.com/ATributetotheClassicMovies
