Main Cast: Sam Waterston, Kathleen Quinlan, Yaphet Kotto, Jeffrey DeMunn, Richard Dysart
Release Year: 1985
Country: US
Run Time: 99 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
In yet another ostensible thriller about deadly germs wreaking havoc on human life and psyches, this is a frenetic, uneven story about germs going berserk in a sealed-off lab, giving rise to infected humans more berserk than the germs. The lab is secretly developing weapons of biological warfare, and when an accident occurs that immediately seals off the building, it looks as though some of the workers have died from their exposure to the invisible killers. But, lo and behold, these apparent corpses leap up from death and, rabidly homicidal, they can hardly wait to kill off any human in their vicinity. This makes the potential victims about as vicious as their attackers in their need to escape from room to room, turning the lab into a kind of asylum for the homicidally insane. No wonder that chief cop Cal Morse (Sam Waterston) has a job and a half on his hands -- made worse because his girlfriend (Kathleen Quinlan) is in there with the loonies. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Review
Often overlooked, this thoughtful, compelling thriller deserves better than the ho-hum reception it usually receives. Warning Sign sets itself apart from the pack by taking a careful plotting- and character-conscious approach to its storyline; instead of going for a roller-coaster ride packed with shocks, writers Hal Barwood and Matthew Robbins take the necessary time to establish their characters and their situation. When the time comes for a confrontation, the heroes use their intellect as much as they use brawn (a nice touch). Warning Sign also benefits from an unusually distinguished cast: Jeffrey DeMunn and Sam Waterston give their heroic characters a vulnerable, down-to-earth quality and Kathleen Quinlan makes a likeably resourceful damsel in distress. On the downside, Hal Barwood's direction is a bit pedestrian and lacks the flair for the thrills that could have made this film a classic. However, the film's strong story and subtle approach to its chosen genre make Warning Sign a decent choice for anyone interested in a thoughtful variation on the sci-fi thriller. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
G.W. Bailey - Tom Schmidt; Jerry Hardin - Vic Flint; Rick Rossovich - Bob; Cynthia Carle - Dana; Lori Hallier - TV Reporter; Kyle Heffner - Video Technician; Tom McFadden - Deputy Grazio; J. Patrick McNamara - Connolly's Aide; Scott Paulin - Capt. Walston; Kavi Raz - Dr. Ramesh Kapoor; Keith Szarabajka - Tippett; Meshach Taylor - Video Technician; Jeannie Epper - Woman on Video Screen; Jack Thibeau - Pisarczyk; Gilbert Smith - Man on Schmidt's Team; James B. Dirker - Helicopter Pilot; Nancie Kawata - Woman in Cafeteria
Credit
Aggie Guerard Rodgers - Costume Designer, Hal Barwood - Director, Robert Lawrence - Editor, Craig Safan - Composer (Music Score), Edouard Henriques III - Makeup, David Quaschnick - Makeup, Raymond Stella - Camera Operator, Henry Bumstead - Production Designer, Dean Cundey - Cinematographer, Jim Bloom - Producer, Robert Latham Brown - Producer, Matthew Robbins - Producer, Mickey Michaels - Set Designer, Kevin Pike - Special Effects, James M. Halty - Stunts, Chuck Picerni, Jr. - Stunts, Pete Antico - Stunts, Hal Barwood - Screenwriter, Matthew Robbins - Screenwriter, Alan Splet - Sound Effects Editor
