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Such a frustrating disappointment

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Blistering performances.

James Gabriel is a construction worker desperately trying to earn sufficient money to pay the hospital bills of his critically ill son Bobby. When a major safety incident sees him confront his supervisor, he is fired and left with no job. Unfortunately, the same day, he learns that his son's condition has worsened and, unless he gets a very expensive vaccination, he will die within 12 hours, a day at absolute most. With no other option James signs an agreement with company Lifecorps to sell his body for harvesting for organ transplants a year from now in exchange for $300,000. However when his son dies due to Lifecorps refusal to give him the vaccine ahead of payment, James returns the money and tells them where to put their contract. The Corporation takes this as a verbal refusal of contract and gets a court order to complete early – setting Burke and his men on him to bring him in.Despite the mostly low-rent cast (no offence Roberts, Elwes, Wynter and Vendora but you're hardly A-list are you?), TVM status, afternoon scheduling and the fact that channel 5 was showing it, I decided to give this a go anyway. The plot offers a simple set-up to basically create a Running Man situation where a Corporation chases down its "property". The film offers plenty of potential for commentary on the future of Corporations, the commercialisation of health care and the role of individuals within this corporate world and I was hoping for the film to bring that out. It seems to lack the intelligence to go much beyond the surface but the concept and world set-up are interesting enough. The plot is reasonable simply but perhaps has too many leaps of logic and action-movie style silliness to allow me to take it too seriously. It moves with a nice slick pace though and, although I knew where it was going, I still quite enjoyed it as it moved along. Towards the end it starts to get sillier and more unlikely even within its own frame but again it worked at the level I was watching it at (even if it could have been better).The cast are so-so for the most part but do OK considering the material and budget. For all his faults, Roberts always gives the impression that he is trying hard, even if he knows the film is weak. He makes a solid leading man here and is good value for this film. Elwes is hardly inspiring but he produces a serviceable villain. Sarandon and Vendora are not used as well as I would have liked, which was a shame as both seemed up for it. Wynter (who I only know from 24) was good enough but severely hampered by the fact that her character made very little sense – she quickly resorts to running, shooting and shouting in favour of anything more interesting to do.Overall a so-so sci-fi that I enjoyed even though it gradually loses touch with the interesting material and just becomes a silly action movie towards the end. The cast help cover up the lack of budget but it never really gets above the level of TVM, although it works on that level.

I was a little dubious before I watched this film, as I have been let down by many TV movies in the past. But, as the story opened, I was drawn in and the pace of the film was well balanced. Roberts was a believable and likeable, and Wynter became more attractive as the film went on! Yes, the CGI was a little over done, but all in all considering that this is just a movie for TV, it was a damn sight more entertaining than many modern massive budget films.

This is a TNT original made for TV movie. Like "Stiletto Dance" - also starring Roberts, it was filmed in Quebec.This is a cool idea, sort of a "Die Hard" meets "The Running Man." Of course, it's not perfect. There are dialogue problems, there are continuity problems, there are acting problems. But hey, it was made for TV.It looks futuristic as it is set in 2008. In some ways, I would think it might be a bit advanced for 2008 and in other ways the CHEESY computer graphics and such look right out of the early 1980's. So you have some exceptional work and some that is not good.In one case, our main character busts the controls off of an elevator and instantly uses a wire touching a resistor to control the movements of the elevator. A bit too far fetched and this is not the only example of such.Also, too much firepower with guys dressed in black uniforms. It becomes mundane when you constantly see black uniformed thugs constantly firing at our hero. C'mon now.The basic premise of the movie is a good idea though: Selling your body for cash now and the delivery of body organs later. Unfortunately, this causes your death - and of course, the company that "buys you" intends to collect on what they purchased. That part is interesting.So, what can we say for this? Well, it stars Eric Roberts and as far as I am concerned this guy can't really do anything wrong. Even in a bad movie, he makes it good. This guy should be starring in blockbusters as far as I am concerned. His acting and presence in this movie is excellent.It's fun to watch and Eric Roberts is in it. Overlook the obvious flaws and it is 90 minutes of entertainment.

Eric Roberts is a popular movie actor. He brings extra dimension to the characters he plays.In Race Against Time, along with Eric Roberts are many fine actors playing their parts here with all seriousness. The acting is above average and clearly money was spent on the special effects.However, this movie is sunk by amaturish direction. Time after time, there is no continuity cutting between camera shots. Such a basic direction blunder is unforgivable.In one camera view, a gun barrel is seen being pressed against the side of a person's head -- the pressure of the metal making the skin of the temple wrinkle. Cut to another camera view and the gun holder's arm is fully stretched and the gun barrel is 4 to 6 inches away from the person's head. Cut once more and it touches again.One camera view shows Eric Roberts leaning over an 18 inch thick building roof wall with the belt to his pants coming about even to the outer edge. Cut to another camera and his belt is now back even with the inner edge. Back to the first camera and Roberts is again shifted more than a foot. Cut again and ZAP there is another shift back.All through this movie people's actions don't connect correctly as camera views change. This is very distracting.Another major problem with this movie is a thing that should have been gone with the 1970's. Recall how often the leading man in a '70's action movie with all the world out to kill him would bare-fistedly defeat the first batch of bad guys. They are unconscious at his feet with all their loaded and unused guns spilled on the ground. The leading man has time to say a few words of dramatic dialog then walks away leaving behind all of the best weapons. This is exactly what happens in Race Against Time! This is certainly not a John Woo movie. The last major problem is that throughout the first 3/4 of this movie our leading man treats those out to kill him with way too much mercy. Wimpy. Lame.