SECONDS TO SPARE

Australia/US, 2002, 90 minutes, Colour.
Antonio Sabato Jnr, Kimberley Davies, Kate Beahan, Jerome Ehlers, Nick Tate.
Directed by Brian Trenchard- Smith.

Seconds to Spare is a Channel Nine Australia co-production with the company of Antonio Sabato Jnr (former model and action actor).

The film is obviously derivative of Die Hard and, especially, Under Siege 2 with action on a train. The film is not particularly well written and certainly no particularly well acted. While it is almost completely predictable, the film has a certain amount of energy and pace and keeps one watching for telemovie action.

The film has a group of eco-terrorists going to a facility in Broken Hill – however, the earnest leader of the group, who is avenging her father’s death by cancer because of pollution, has employed a rogue CIA agent and there is murder and mayhem. Kate Beahan is the earnest leader of the terrorists (she was also a terrorist flight attendant in Flightplan) while Jerome Ehlers obviously enjoys himself as an absolutely thoroughly dislikable villain. Antonio Sabato Jnr is the stern hero with Kimberley Davies the glamorous heroine. Nick Tate is the commander at headquarters in Sydney.

The film was co-written by its director Brian Trenchard- Smith. Trenchard- Smith has been making action films since the 70s and so is expert in keeping his story and action moving, no matter how far-fetched it might seem. However, for Australian audiences, the film keeps the geography from Broken Hill to Sydney quite accurate.

1. The popularity of this kind of action feature, stereotype characters, ecology situations, terrorism, counter-intelligence?

2. The Australian settings, Broken Hill, the facility, the desert? The train going through the New South Wales countryside? Going through Parkes, getting closer to Sydney, the Penrith yards? The musical score for atmosphere? Special effects, action sequences and editing?

3. The plausibility of the plot, terrorism after 2001? Eco-terrorists? Exploitation by rogue agents? The combination? The taking of the train, the action on the train, the counter-intelligence decision to bomb the train because of the nerve gas? Heroics?

4. The introduction to the group, at the hotel, the murder of the man who supplied the data? The raid on the facility, the taking of the nerve gas? The killings and the explosion? Eve not knowing this? Larkin orchestrating it with his men? Their going to the station, getting on the train?

5. The introduction to Paul Blake, his coming to Australia, going to Broken Hill, the terrorism, on the railway station, Rhonda and her accidents, getting on the train, using her as a cover? The takeover of the train?

6. Commander Haggerty, Kristen and Captain Moran? The control, getting information, the promises to the terrorists, the transfer of the money, the threat to Sydney, verifying Paul Blake’s identity? The helicopter and the explosion? The train not stopping at Menindee? His decision to bomb the train? His explanation of terrorism, a new world, the death of the small number for the greater good?

7. The passengers on the train, the ex-railway workers, the daughter going to Sydney to study, Danvers and his giving the wallet back, his discussions at table, car salesman? The background characters in first class? The takeover, the reactions, Danvers and his betrayal of Blake? The disgust of the people, his wanting to get off, his choosing Rhonda to stay? His later heroism, people supporting him, his being shot by Larkin?

8. Eve, her background, her wanting to get the money, to pull down governments? Her not being violent? The interactions with Larkin, trying to persuade him not to be violent, the ultimate confrontation, his spurning of her? Her being shot?

9. Larkin, the ultimate villain, conscienceless, the violence, his men, his madness, the shootings? The background of his confrontation with Blake? The final setting of the nerve gas, getting off the train, pursued by Blake? The shoot-out and his being tricked and trapped, his death?

10. The other members of the gang, especially Laslovic and his violence, the attempted rape of Rhonda, his death?

11. Blake, his background, serving the prison sentence, pursuing Larkin? The heroics on the train, hiding Rhonda, getting rid of the gang and throwing them off the train? On the roof, the confrontations? Contacting Haggerty? The exploding of the helicopter, on the side of the train, saving Rhonda again? Saving the group, the uncoupling of the carriages?

12. The title, the decision to bomb the train, Rhonda and her being able to uncouple the carriages, the safety of the passengers?

13. A satisfying action thriller with message?