As an escaped Criminal runs around L.A., unknowingly driving towards his death, he is unaware that stolen material he took from prison isn't actually heroin but a nuclear time bomb that would create a germ warfare that would create utter turmoil. Vince Edwards is the troubled escapee who is first seen driving a stolen ambulance down a country road with a fellow escapee who is on the verge of dying himself. Within moments, he is indeed deceased, and Edwards is unaware as to why. But the "why" happens to be in the container he believes to be heroine which he intends to use as his nest egg which is really a radioactive substance. Edwards precedes to become weaker, and unfortunately, his demise could also mean the deaths of millions.
While this theme has been utilized in several film noir and various other science fiction films over the years, the way this is presented is very chilling because I love the way the structure is developed. Geiger counters reveal the presence of radioactive material everywhere they go, and that sound becomes increasingly creepy. This is part of the first of America's New Wave view of the modern world, and mixing it in with a film Noir and science fiction theme makes it all the more intriguing. Excellent photography and superb location footage go hand-in-hand with all of the other nail biting plot elements that leads to a suspenseful and potentially stunning conclusion, with the description of how its victims could die more than simply just horrifying.
While this theme has been utilized in several film noir and various other science fiction films over the years, the way this is presented is very chilling because I love the way the structure is developed. Geiger counters reveal the presence of radioactive material everywhere they go, and that sound becomes increasingly creepy. This is part of the first of America's New Wave view of the modern world, and mixing it in with a film Noir and science fiction theme makes it all the more intriguing. Excellent photography and superb location footage go hand-in-hand with all of the other nail biting plot elements that leads to a suspenseful and potentially stunning conclusion, with the description of how its victims could die more than simply just horrifying.