When is a Nightingale a turkey?

"Supernova"
Overall Rating: *½


Warning: this review contains information that may spoil the ending, if that's possible.

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Astronomically, a supernova is what happens when a star explodes and dies. In a similar manner, the movie "Supernova" has a plotline that explodes and dies.

Nick Vanzant (James Spader) is a recovering drug addict who is the second in command of the rescue vessel Nightingale. When the ship receives a distress call from Carl Larson, a former lover of ship doctor Kaela Evers (Angela Bassett), they respond immediately. They must use the dimensional shift, however, requiring the crew to take refuge in dimensional stabilization units (referred to as "DSU"s). When they come out of the dimensional shift, the ship is caught in an asteroid field that damages the fuel tank, and Captain Marley dies from the effects of a damaged DSU--leaving Nick in command of the ship. Then Troy Larson (Peter Facinelli) shows up, and things become really chaotic.

"Supernova" is really about gratuitous sex, on screen violence, and special effects. Mostly, the special effects are good--the dimensional shift is dazzling. The spacescapes are wonderful. They have sets that would have been the envy of the original "Star Trek" TV show, then they smash them nicely. Even though the special effects are its main strength, "Supernova" has some special effects gaffes. For instance, a character has different colored eyes in one scene; however, that scene contains a sequence where both his eyes are the same color.

While problems with the special effects are occasional, problems with the logic are omnipresent. The computer allows the villain to eject two crewmembers out of airlocks--but an instant later, when the programmer (who the computer apparently has a crush on) is in mortal danger, it won't allow him to kill the villain, or even open the door and escape. Larson has been waiting for five days for help--but Captain Marley risks his own life using a broken DSU so they can respond immediately. Nick, who doesn't trust Troy, takes his word that there's fuel on the moon, but ignores the possibility of booby traps. Dr. Evers suddenly stops hating Nick, and falls in love with him. The real coup de grace is the ending. Normally, I try not to give it away, but while I like a "lady and the tiger" ending, the computer's announcement that the effects of a phenomenon will either destroy all life on Earth, or make it much better (though the computer doesn't know which) is just a bit too much.

In addition to the overt non-sequiturs, there are also the futuristic trappings that leave the viewer confused. When Dr. Evers says she can't have children, does that mean she's sterile, or that she was denied permission by the government's population control authorities? For that matter, considering that humanity has the ability to travel to worlds beyond our solar system, and hasn't yet found extraterrestrial life, why is overpopulation even a problem? Though the Nightingale is a rescue vessel, and presumably would pick up survivors from distress calls, why does it only have enough DSUs for the crew? Who built the alien artifact? What will the fate of Earth be? Answers to these questions are too much to hope for.

While following the movie is difficult, it's easy to figure out where it's going. I was disappointed when I realized I not only correctly predicted who the villain really was, but which crewmembers would survive the mission. While the computer's bizarre announcement comes out of nowhere, "Supernova" is generally predictable.

"Supernova" is not for children. (It's not for adults, either, but that's another matter.) There is a great deal of often gory violence, frequent nudity including several sex scenes, significant strong language, and a number of references to drug use (though the references are to a futuristic drug called "hazin"). The movie should be rated R.

There is one good line in the film: when Dr. Evers asks Nick when he's been in a more serious situation, he describes what happened a few minutes before. That one line, however, isn't enough to make up for the rest of the movie. In the end, the best thing about "Supernova," is that it's only 90 minutes long, so the viewer doesn't have to suffer for long.


Title: "Supernova"
Release date: January 14, 2000

MPAA rating: PG-13
Overall rating: *½

Aprox. run time: 90 min.
Director: Thomas Lee
Writers: David Campbell Wilson (screenplay), William Malone, Daniel Chuba (story)
Stars: James Spader, Angela Bassett

Original URL: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/7045/Supernov.htm
Added to blog site: 8/5/09