Customer Reviews

5ive Days to Midnight

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This thrilling mini-series takes off like a rocket from the very beginning, as physics professor J.T. Neumeyer wonders how and why he received a police file apparently from the future that contains gruesome details of his own demise. According to this strange file locked inside a futuristic briefcase made of myserious materials, he has just five days before his murder to figure out what's going on. The suspense increases as little by little, Neumeyer discovers that this may not be a clever hoax, but that his very life may depend on solving and somehow preventing his murder in a very short amount of time. And with such an unusual situation, it's a challenge to know who will believe him, and who to trust. Timothy Hutton and Randy Quaid and the rest of the case are excellent in this suspenseful science fiction thriller that keeps us on the edge of our seats through all 255 minutes.

We all know we're going to die. It's just that J. T. Neumeyer (Timothy Hutton) knows exactly the time and place of his death. Neumeyer teaches college physics. When he and his daughter Jessie visit the grave of J.T.'s wife and Jessie's mom, a strange thing happens; a futuristic brief case with J.T.'s name on it appears out of nowhere. Inside J.T. finds a case file that appears to be quite old. It's about an unsolved murder. J.T.'s murder and he has five days to find out who wants to kill him and why.

This Sci-Fi Channel original mini-series has a lot going for it; Hutton, Randy Quaid both give solid performances as does Kari Matchett. The only actors truly wasted are Giancarlo Esposito and Nicole de Boer. This TV mini-series seemed to stretch things out a bit too long. It would have worked much better as a two hour or two and a half hour TV movie. Director Michael W. Watkins uses a number of annoyingly over used techinques to create additional suspense (such as slow motion and shooting scenes at a higher speed or eliminating frames to make the motion appear choppy).

A solid TV mini-series that would have worked better if it was cut down to two hours vs. nearly four, "5ive Days to Midnight" is still worthwhile. Although there were some fairly large plot holes, they weren't as noticeable until the pacing slowed down around the third hour. Worth a rental at least.

This movie is good, but I sort of agree with the former review. It lasts too long. You'd better watch it by parts as it was meant originally. You might not like this one if you're from the ones who need many explanations in the movies (as I do very often). However, those missing explanations will not keep you from understanding the movie's plot. I started a discussion forum so that people can guess how they would've filled those holes.
Finally, the movie's start is nothing great by itself. Anyone who likes fantasy and thrillers might have watched similar starings as in this movie. So the filmmakers added a lot of sci-fi effects, cheap but funny ones. The moved the camera in slow motion in some scenes, in others they show a lot of weird (or artistic) scenes behind the characters like mathematical symbols, nothing really creative but pretty. But the movie continues it gets more and more interesting.....otherwise I wouldn't have stayed for 4 or 5 hours!

I've just watched this in the UK where it was shown on 2 nights and totalled 4 hours. I don't know if it was cut at all, or maybe in the US with more commercials, it would last 5 hours. I have been a fan of Timothy Hutton for 20 years and he is the reason I began watching it, but thought it was a well-paced and interesting thriller. Yes, the ending was a bit cheesy and I still want to know who would have been JT's original murderer - and why, but otherwise thoroughly enjoyed it. I particularly liked the fact that the time-travel aspect was wholly incidental - although like most, I guessed who sent the briefcase - and it was the thriller element that came to the fore.

I have no idea what the confusion is. There are basically 5 days to the plot, unfolding sequentially with a title plate to mark each new day. It aired on Cable in two parts of about 1h 30min each. You can watch it straight through on DVD. The story is compelling, piques your curiosity, sorta like '24', but the sci-fi premise is background to a good psychological thriller.

The story is about a Physics professor, Dr. J.T. Neurameyer (Timothy Hutton), who mysteriously finds a briefcase at his dead wife's grave with "Dr J.T. Neurameyer" on it (his little daughter also has these initials), which has appeared out of a rent in the fabric of spacetime, from the future, and contains a police file on his murder 5 days from now, by gunshot square in the head, with other cuttings of events taking place.

He sets out to investigate, try and change the course of events and rescue people from events that are slated to take place, and he succeeds after a fashion, but altering events brings with it a whole new unpredictable set of consequences, for good or bad, which no one is quite sure of. Compelling, from beginning to end. The characters surely have free will and the ability to change their destiny.

I have to say this is one of the more entertaining, suspenseful movies I've seen in quite a while. It holds your interest, throws more suspects than you can shake a stick at, and it involves cheating death and time travel (of a sort) whats not to love? Kept me riveted to my screen the whole movie which I watched from start to finish

I saw this on the sci fi channel the first time out but missed a couple of episodes, so I was very happy that it's now been released on DVD. HOwever when I received it in the mail and started viewing it I realized I'm missing episode 3. I realize it's two DVD's. The first one is episodes 1 & 2 the second episodes 4 & 5. Any one have the same trouble? On the whole great story although some key info missing (no Day 3). Suspense and terrific acting all the way.

I saw this mini almost by accident and was ecstatic when I saw that it had come out in DVD format. A riveting story, and I'm not even usually a sci-fi fan. Timothy Hutton was great, as well as the rest of the cast. I highly recommend it.

This series shows how a person tries to change the course of events leading to his murder. It is quite captivating
in the beginning, as changes are made voluntarily by the hero, however towards the end a number of characters
get involved (not least of which one of his own "special" students) that muck the things up. Some threads are
left dangling, such as the fate of the bankrupt brother-in-law. The bar is set high with talk about "alternate
Universes" by the "special" student, but it is not followed through.

Here's another mini-series on DVD that I found at my library FREE. Good thing...I probably would never pay much for this if I knew ahead what it was. It's a fairly good story overall, but gets tedious at times and predictable as to what plot device they're going to use next. You are rather kept guessing as to who did it...though my initial hunch was spot-on, as what I figured was going to be the ending as well. There were some annoying sequences of the main characters being spied on, and some typical bait and switch tactics as well, and a bit more of unrealistic mafia boss acting thrown in as well. Not really a spoiler, but if he did what he did to me, and not our hero...I'd have capped him right then and there...you'll know what I mean.

The acting was fairly well done throughout and what special effects there were seemed good enough considering it was made-for-TV. I couldn't believe just how fat Randy Quaid got...wow...that's the biggest surprise...and his acting skills are more fitted for Vacation movies and odd-ball stuff. No need to rehash plot...everybody else did that already. I'd suggest writing down your first hunch...see if you got it right.

The only really face-smackingly obvious thing is what motivates the killer, and the all-too unrealistic *SPOILER* attitude that Hutton's character has in not taking full advantage of knowledge of the future and the predictable set-up he causes by not sharing or taking advantage of the wealth that could be made from it. I hate when people don't act realistic when it comes to money. Really...would you turn down fore-knowledge of technology that could make you a bazillion dollars? If you said yes, then I'll take that winning lotto ticket off your hands. It should have been OBVIOUS that this was the driving factor in motivating his death...which rates this movie lower on the believability scale for him not even remotely figuring that out and acting to change that.

I think I enjoyed this a bit only because it reminded me a lot of Lost and the "What Happened Happened" theme throughout...and the characters' struggles knowing what happens to see what they can do to change it. If you liked Lost for this, you will find this worth watching. Seriously, I wouldn't pay much...since you'll probably not want to watch it again...which is why I went to see if my library had it. They did. You can always donate your copy so others can watch...and you can always go get it if you get the feeling you just have to see it again.