The Trigger Effect

REVIEW
Having written the screenplays for such diverse films as Jurassic Park and Apartment Zero, writer Koepp makes a satisfying leap to director with this offbeat though uneven psychological thriller. With nods to Miracle Mile and "The Twilight Zone," the story focuses on man's baser instincts during time of crisis (here a power blackout) which ultimately pits neighbor against neighbor. Koepp begins the film beautifully, tracking the effect one person has on another, then that person on another and so on. The story then concentrates on a Los Angeles couple (MacLachlan, Shue) and their houseguest (Mulroney) as they begin to cope with an unexplained, city-wide blackout. Though Koepp's thesis of man reverting to his animal self is not new, he diffuses the obvious with inventive camerawork and a steady tension throughout the film.