Virus (1999)

Director:

John Bruno

Writers (WGA):

Chuck Pfarrer (creator: Dark Horse Comic Book series: "Virus")
Chuck Pfarrer (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Thriller | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Life on earth is in for a shock.

Plot:

When the crew of an American tugboat boards an abandoned Russian research vessel, the alien life form aboard regards them as a virus which must be destroyed.

Plot Keywords:

Ship | Alien | Sea | Typhoon | Virus

Cast

Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Kit Foster
William Baldwin	...	Steve Baker
Donald Sutherland	...	Captain Everton
Joanna Pacula	...	Nadia
Marshall Bell	...	J.W. Woods Jr.
Sherman Augustus	...	Richie
Cliff Curtis	...	Hiko
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Squeaky
Yuri Chervotkin	...	Colonel Kominski
Keith Flippen	...	Captain Lonya Rostov
Olga Rzhepetskaya-Retchin	...	Female Cosmonaut
Levan Uchaneishvili	...	Captain Alexi (as Levani)
David Eggby	...	Norfolk Captain

Also Known As:

Virus (France)
Virus - Schiff ohne Wiederkehr (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for sci-fi violence/gore, and for language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

France | UK | Germany | USA | Japan

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KNT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Newport News, Virginia, USA

Company:

Mutual Film Company

Trivia:

Chuck Pfarrer explained in an interview that the comic book was based on the script that he wrote in the early-'90s. Because of the special effects that the script called for, it was impossible to make the script into a movie at that time, and he handed it to Dark Horse Comics who published it in 1995. Several years later, when special effects technology had caught up, Pfarrer revised the original script.

Goofs:

Continuity: Just before they go outside, Foster is just wearing a sweater and jeans, but in the next shot of her outside, she is wearing her raincoat.

Quotes:

Captain Everton: Everton is the dominant species. I am Everton.

Movie Connections:

References "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)

I liked it anyway

I've heard people trash this movie left and right yet I found that it kept my attention for the duration of it's running time and all the technical aspects were top-notch (especially Tippett Studio's CGI realization of Goliath). The characters weren't great and weren't bad either. Sure, we've seen it all before in other films but I have little hope of finding a film that's completely original. Frankly, I got about what I expected out of it - motion picture fastfood. You enjoy it as you take it in and digest it and forget about it after you leave the theater. It's just entertainment and not bad for what it is. Unlike LOST IN SPACE or BATMAN AND ROBIN, this film isn't boring. It moves at a quick enough pace to where you don't find yourself checking your watch all the time. I'm not sure what the deal was with Donald Sutherland's character who displays no sense of logic whatsoever. Had they dropped the stuff with his character, it would've helped the film. If you're bored, check it out. It's worth at least one viewing.