Daily Staff Writer

The Trigger Effect could have been a classic. Instead, it’s an interesting if uneven directorial debut for screenwriter David Koepp (Jurassic Park).

A blackout hits a major city in the western United States—but it’s no ordinary power outage. Not only are the lights out, but the telephone system is down and even radio stations are off the air. In the environment of fear which develops, society quickly breaks down into near anarchy.

Kyle MacLachlan, Elisabeth Shue and Dermot Mulroney play the trio at the center of the film. MacLachlan and Shue are a young, successful couple whose quiet, stereotypically suburban lifestyle is quickly shattered by the worsening crisis.

Mulroney is a friend of MacLachlan’s who arrives during the second day of the blackout and sticks with the couple until the end; he adds an elernent of toughness and danger to the group.

At all levels, society degenerates and rapidly approaches barbarism. Conflict develops among the lead trio as Shue’s lust for excitement is stirred by the situation and Mulroney’s arrival. A robbery attempt in their neighborhood leads to a killing. Simple requests by strangers become life-threatening and cause for violent action.

Director/writer Koepp attempts to make a broad statements about society’s tenuous nature and lack of communication between people, and he is reasonably successful. However, the film’s technical prowess is what stands out.

Koepp shows himself to be a very capable action and suspense director, creating some amazingly intense set pieces. A particular standout is a showdown on a rural highway between the trio and a pushy loner, well-played by Michael Rooker. (Shouldn’t they know about this guy after his performance in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer?)

As with most thrillers, the plot has a few holes. The police have no information, yet their radios are working. The crisis is apparently national, or at least regional, yet the military is nowhere to be found.

And exactly what causes the blackout is never explained.

While the film is supposed to focus on the societal crisis, an explanation of what happened— and why communications were entirely wrecked— would be appreciated.

But unfortunately, what propels the plot is monumental stupidity of the lead characters. The bad situations they find themselves in are mainly the result of their own poor decisions, such as their attempted trip to Shue’s parents’ home in Colorado.

Why not just stay home and ride out the crisis? And why can’t they just drive to the doctor to get their daughter’s medicine for an ear infection; so what if the phone is out?

Produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, The Trigger Effect is rated R for sexual situations, violence, language and general subject matter.