Customer Reviews
Timeless and relevant, stunningly well acted - By: Daft, 01 Mar 2008 
I don`t realy want to go too far into the plot, except to say that it`s premise is almost inevitable in real life, a routine breakdown in a neuclear power plant spirals because no-one wants to take responsibility. The screenplay is as precise & accurate as a swiss timepiece, but it`s the quality of the acting that sucks you in, particularly Jack Lemmon`s, performance. You find yourself mentaly & physicaly responding to what he`s gong through, SO convincing is he. Fonda & Douglass are both beautifuly pitched, & would steal any other film, but at his best, & this is at his best, Lemmon was unparralelled. He is everyman in an impossible situation. The story is tense & exiting, believable & definately not dated. The result is totaly engrosing. Sometimes you want a duvet night with beers or candy floss, & why not. Sometimes you want a duvet night with a glass of wine & someone to hold on to. This is for those nights.
Intense and intriguing film - By: L. Davidson, 23 Mar 2006 
"The China Syndrome" is an intelligent, well acted & uncannily prophetic thriller about an accident in an American nuclear power plant that almost led to a core meltdown ; the "China Syndrome". Shortly after the release of this film , fiction became reality after the occurrence of a similar incident at the Three Mile Island nuclear facility in America. Jane Fonda is excellent as a pushy TV broadcaster determined to uncover the truth behind the accident she witnessed while filming a documentary at the plant . Jack Lemmon plays the edgy nuclear plant supervisor perfectly & a shaggy looking, bearded Michael Douglas is impressive in his role as a bolshie cameraman. A searching film , which asks a lot of questions about not only the safety of nuclear power generation , but also about collusion between government ,big business & the media in covering up details of incidents & events which they do not wish the public to know about.
27 years old and still relevant - By: Barton Keyes, 06 Jul 2005 A hairy Michael Douglas & thin-lipped, unwrinkled Jane Fonda complement each other perfectly in this pacy tale of corporate misbehaviour. A plausible story-line (with minimal logical disjunctures), workmanlike acting, tight editing & good camerawork alll combine to produce a film that, despite the fact it was made over a quarter of a century ago, is as gripping to watch as any current corporate thriller.
The weak point is Jack Lemmon whose character, exhibiting alll the usual physical tics that he uses to pass for characterisation,it is difficult to believe was supposedly a naval nuclear submarine commander prior to joining California Gas & Electric (the corporate villain). Bluntly his performance is weak until the final scenes when he puts in a storming display as the confused, disillusioned company man betrayed by the company.
The story line is tight & still relevant today. Only the fashions (and the cars)betray the film's age.
A great film with... - By: Master Michael C. Boyd, 21 Feb 2005 The china syndrome is a masterpeice! performances... perfect!
A spooky tension mounts to a soul crushing & apocalypitic climax!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gripping - By: Dan Craggs, 05 Nov 2004 If I were to compile a list of my top ten films, this would certainly be in there. Preferably near the top.
What I love about this film, is its ability to drag you in, & keep you there. Right at the start, it throws you slap bang into the action, & therein you KNOW that one of the characters is right, & you watch him, & the people who agree with him, get beaten down & silenced, time after time.
At the end of the film, there is one scene where the first time I watched it, I actuallly said 'No! No!' - I won't tell you what it was, since that'd spoil it, but the film comes to a climax in that scene.
I'd be extremely suprised if you could draw yourself away from the screen whilst watching this. It reallly is engaging. Get it.
