"Rollercoaster" is one of those movies where you check your brain at the door and just sit back to watch. If you think about it much the flaws will come pouring out.
It's a simple story of an extortionist who terrorizes the nation's amusement parks until he gets his money. Obviously it is the rollercoasters that he sabotages. The opening scene is a slick and frightening sequence as we see a rollercoaster literally collapse before our eyes. George Segal plays a park inspector who unwittingly becomes an ally to the killer (nicely played by Timothy Bottoms). The middle section of the film is a mano y mano between the two as Bottoms runs Segal all over an amusement park where a money exchange is supposed to be made. One of the best moments is when Segal finds out where the bomb Bottoms has planted is hidden.
Supporting performances are provided by Richard Widmark as an FBI agent and Henry Fonda as Segal's less then honest boss. The problem is that these characters are not likeable. Segal is tolerable because he is the film's hero. Bottoms' character is never given a name nor is there any explanation as to why he is doing what he is doing.
Still it's a fairly entertaining movie. One thing missing is the Sensurround sound system that was included in the theatrical release. It may have been a bit annoying but the first time that system turned on for a quick second I was ten feet out of my chair. The director employed several ploys like this to make you think one thing and it was really another.
It's a simple story of an extortionist who terrorizes the nation's amusement parks until he gets his money. Obviously it is the rollercoasters that he sabotages. The opening scene is a slick and frightening sequence as we see a rollercoaster literally collapse before our eyes. George Segal plays a park inspector who unwittingly becomes an ally to the killer (nicely played by Timothy Bottoms). The middle section of the film is a mano y mano between the two as Bottoms runs Segal all over an amusement park where a money exchange is supposed to be made. One of the best moments is when Segal finds out where the bomb Bottoms has planted is hidden.
Supporting performances are provided by Richard Widmark as an FBI agent and Henry Fonda as Segal's less then honest boss. The problem is that these characters are not likeable. Segal is tolerable because he is the film's hero. Bottoms' character is never given a name nor is there any explanation as to why he is doing what he is doing.
Still it's a fairly entertaining movie. One thing missing is the Sensurround sound system that was included in the theatrical release. It may have been a bit annoying but the first time that system turned on for a quick second I was ten feet out of my chair. The director employed several ploys like this to make you think one thing and it was really another.