CLOCKSTOPPERS

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Because of: mild sensuality

Rated:

At some point in our lives, we've longed to stop the clock just for an instant... to make it to the store before it closes, to get through a line and into the theater, or to save someone's life. Clockstoppers is built around the premise that it's possible to speed your body up in hypertime so it actually appears as if the world has halted around you. The US government is behind the research, which would make it possible for spies to infiltrate foreign governments, or a surgeon to performer life-changing operations between the spaces of a single heartbeat. The only problem is that spending a week in hypertime ages you twenty years; any longer, and you die. Quite a fatal flaw.

That operation's manager, Henry Gates, is dodging CIA paperwork, and the experiment is about to be closed down due to a "lack of success." The invention's dangerous possibilities (bank robberies, national terrorism, etc) far outweigh the good. But Gates, unknown to his superiors down at the justice department, is continuing the research. His in-house genius has slipped one of the watches to his old college professor, Dr. Gibbs, in an effort to sort out the aging problem. The Gibbs household is fairly normal. A working mom, an eccentric father adored by all of his students at the college, and two children: Kelly, who is always on the phone, and her older brother Zack, whose highest aspirations involve befriending the new foreign student Francesca, and purchasing a red mustang convertible.

Unfortunately, neither seem to be going as planned... his dad wants him to research other cars before taking the plunge, and his attempts to impress Francesca fall flat. Then he finds the watch. Accidentally turns it on while raking Francesca's lawn, and together they begin to enjoy this newfound freedom. Bullies are frozen in place. Graffiti artists are in for a shock. The local overanxious cop is going to give herself a parking ticket. They also use hypertime to help a friend out when he's very nearly booed off stage at a Rave. But then Zack learns that this newfound power isn't all its cracked up to be... he's not the only person working in hypertime... Gates has sent out his crones to get the watch back, and trample anyone in the way. Suddenly, the Gibbs family is in danger. But can Zack and Francesca save the day?

I have to hand it to filmmakers. I thought Clockstoppers was going to be a corny ride, but actually it's an engaging, lively and intelligent production. The characters are likable, and the whole thing has the aura of a Back to the Future episode without the language. The special effects in particular are wow-inducing. Water droplets crystallized in the air... papers that fly upwards and hover there... skateboarders mid-ramp suddenly halt. There's just enough humor to keep it light, and the teens behave like... well, teens. Best of all, it's solid family viewing with only a few minor points along the way. Most of Francesca's outfits are midriff-revealing. An intruder surprises her in her room as she's about to remove her shirt (audiences only see the bottom of her bra). Zack's friend Meeker makes a few jokes about what they could do with the watch. There's some violence (things blow up, cars crash) and only a couple of mild profanities. The kids steal some equipment from an electronics convention... but it's to save someone's life. Minor flaws. It's about time an intelligent teen film cropped up. Clockstoppers is an enjoyable ride.