MERCURY RISING
US, 1998, 106 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, Miko Hughes, Kim Dickins, John Lynch Carroll, Peter Stormare.
Directed by Harold Becker.
Mercury Rising is an entertaining thriller, strong on US political corruption, just a variation on what we have seen before. And perhaps, all the more enjoyable for that.
We see Bruce Willis as a tough undercover FBI agent with a heart of gold. But he has to act, for most of the film, alongside a young boy who is brilliant, but autistic. It is to the credit of them both that what one hopes is far-fetched becomes credible enough for two hours. The boy has, in fact, broken a most sophisticated, unbreakable code and its sponsor, Alec Baldwin continuing his career as a suave screen heavy, is not happy. The boy's parent are killed and the boy is on the run with Bruce. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know what will happen, but it's enjoyable. On the run thriller.
1. Popular spy thriller? Conspiracy theories? The 1990s in the perspective of the 21st century? The protection given to the undercover agent in Saddam Hussein's Iraq?
2. The Chicago settings, the city, schools and homes, public places, streets and restaurants? Affluent homes? The FBI, the Chicago police? The musical score?
3. The title? The focus on the code? The original novel being called Simple Simon with its focus on the boy?
4. Simon, autistic, at school, at home, his loving parents? Their scenes with him and family security? His ringing with the solution of the puzzle? The beginning of the crisis? The response of the men at the other end, their not expecting a solution, their publishing the puzzle in a magazine, the irony that it was picked up by a nine-year-old autistic boy? Kudrow's reaction?
5. The assassination of the parents at home? Simon hiding in the crawlspace? The assassin and his brutality? The police, Art Johnson and his finding the boy? Taking him to hospital? Feeling responsible?
6. The prologue with Art undercover, the bank siege, the FBI in charge, making the rash decision, the massacre? Art's anger, his being transferred? The view of the authorities? His friend and his support?
7. The development of the case, the police being called away from the hospital, the threat to Simon? Art and his pursuing him, caring for him? His chance meeting with Stacy, asking her to look after Simon? Her watching him, the dangers on the street, in her home, the witness protection program? The helicopter, Kudrow's presence, the danger on the rooftop? Stacey cleared from Danger? Simon and his being taken, Kudrow holding him, his walking the ledge and getting the gun and giving it to Art? Kudrow finally holding him before he fell? Art and his going to the school, bringing the puzzles, telling Simon to look him in the eyes? His doing so? The emotional impact for Art?
8. Art as a person, loner, undercover? His becoming involved? His reaction to the parents' death? To Simon, the care from Stacey? His going to talk with the computer buff, his assassination in the street, the pursuit? His going to the home, Simon ringing the number, his making the connections?
9. The support of Jordan, bending the rules, getting them to look after Simon, taking the car? Jordan and his talking to the boss? In on the final confrontation?
10. Kudrow, calling himself a patriot, his ruthlessness? Talking about working in a team? His anger about the code? Authorising the killings of the parents and Simon? The assassin, his killing the computer buffs? The discussions with the computer buffs? Emily going to Art and the visit to Kudrow in his home, the wine cellar, breaking the wine, the confrontation? Kudrow thinking he was superior?
11. American policy, government agencies, undercover agents, codes and protection? In the light of Iraq war and the subsequent protests and investigations?
