DEAD IN A HEARTBEAT

US, 2002, 91 minutes, Colour.
Judge Reinhold, Penelope Ann Miller, Timothy Busfield.
Directed by Paul Antier.

Dead in a Heartbeat is a television movie focusing on a Seattle bomb squad expert, played by Judge Reinhold. Reinhold was very popular in the 1980s with many comedies including Beverly Hills Cop. Here he actually has another star role. He is matched by Penelope Ann Miller, who had a strong career in the early 1990s with such films as Awakenings, The Freshman, Carlito’s Way. Timothy Busfield (West Wing) plays a madman who is destroying patients of Penelope Anne Miller by making their pacemakers bombs. He is getting revenge on the death of his son.

The film builds up its tension, has Reinhold as a single father whose son is abducted by the madman, has Penelope Anne Miller as a very ambitious and rigorous surgeon who has to learn some humanity, especially in dealing with the emergencies of trying to warn people that their pacemakers were bombs.

The film doesn't shirk the reality of people actually being destroyed by the madman. However, it is not a film that should be recommended to people with heart trouble, let alone pacemakers.

1. An enjoyable popular telemovie with action and a dash of restrained romance?

2. The title, its irony? The reality of this kind of terrorism through pacemakers?

3. The Seattle locations, the roads, buildings, hospitals? The importance of the hospital atmosphere? The special effects, especially for the explosions? The musical score?

4. The plausibility of the situation, the computer expert and his skills in turning pacemakers into bombs? Access to people? Possible?

5. Tom Royko and his son, taking him to school, the bond with his son? The phone calls, helping him with his homework – and his final abduction, the insertion, the surgery and his surviving it? Royko and his expertise, his work with his associates? The examination of the first explosion in the car on the freeway, the subsequent explosions? The information about the pacemakers? His meeting with Dr Hayes, her antagonism? Her professionalism? The growing dangers, the phone calls and threats? The threat of fourteen people being killed, the threat of the child being killed at school – and that the victim was one of the mothers? The desperation of trying to defuse the bombs, the collaboration of Dr Hayes? The final confrontation with Franklin, the discussions with his wife and getting the background? The chase, the defusing of the bomb, the saving of his son? The humour of his asking to be added to the list of Dr Hayes’s friends?

6. Dr Hayes, her successful father and his advice? In the surgery, her not suffering fools gladly, her clash with the man she considered less than expert? Her work with pacemakers? The bomb threat and her refusal to move? The reality of the pacemakers being used as bombs, her making lists, discussions with her father? Her going to the airport and failing? The going to the school and the woman exploding? The searching of her list, making contacts? Her gradually becoming more human, the final surgery for Tom’s son? The finale and her agreeing to date Tom?

7. Franklin, the motivation of his son’s death, his relationship with his wife, his work with computers, near the hospital, sending the birthday cake, the phone calls? The final confrontation, merciless? His being defeated by Tom?

8. Tom’s assistant, his expertise, the defusing of the bombs, the investigations? The rest of the team?

9. The work of the bomb disposal unit, their skills? Work in hospitals, surgery, evacuations of the hospital?

10. A far-fetched plot given realist treatment?