The Manhattan Project (1986)

I was surprised that some did not enjoy this 'classic' 80's film-- I for one have to disagree. First thing that annoyed me is that Christopher Collet is the 'star' of this film, yet IMB gives John Lithgow top billing-- Really? This is unacceptable. This is a film about a young man (Paul) who is brilliant but comes from a broken family with an absentee father and feels protective of the person who cares for him-- his mother! John Lithgow comes into the story line secondary to Paul. The most enduring character is the lead character Christopher Collet-- who, out of lack of any other worthy extra curricular activity, decides (after meeting the man who wants to date his mother) to build a '1st Place' nuclear bomb (science project) with plutonium absconded from a lab where mom's new boyfriend works (a boyfriend Paul doesn't particularly respect) -- shades of 'The Graduate'. Any political correctness about the 'war- mongering lab' comes from Paul's girlfriend (Elizabeth) who is much more so an activist than Paul. The film is a great example of 1980's film genre-- shades of 'War Games', 'Ferris Bueller', etc. The film conveys to me a story about a sharp young man who is struggling to find himself after his brilliant (architect-father) and mother have separated. Without continuing to ruin the film for those that haven't seen it: I say watch it-- it's excellent! If you missed out on the 1980's, well, I am so sorry for you! I saw it when it came out in 1986 and have always loved it, especially now, when I desire an '80's' mood. Enjoy this film for what it is and immerse yourself in the public consciousness of a bygone era!

First: I was 12 when I watched this movie on the ol' VCR. If I were to rate this film based on what I know today (December 2012) then it's a bit (sarcasm) far-fetched albeit still a good story with good actors. Find Robert Sean Leonard nearly two decades before House, MD! But I digress... Think about the film in a mid-80s mindset. No Google, no wikipedia...just Encyclopedia Britannica and this thing they called a library way back in the day. The general public didn't have a clue about radioactive isotopes or computers in 1986 and the information wasn't at our fingertips like it is today. So let that go and enjoy the film. Summary: The quirky whiz kid who is seemingly a rube in areas outside of all things science and tech is sheldonesque in nature. John Lithgow plays a great lead proving early on why he's been nominated for two Oscars. The caper used to extract the plutonium is pure genius and fun! The film falls into three categories according to IMDb: Comedy, Sci-Fi, Thriller. It's a blend of all three...oh and "Comedy" is first because it's in alphabetical order, not because the film is foremost a comedy.For those people who are 35 and up this is a great film to sit down with the family and watch for good clean fun, a great story, a little US history (perspective only as we were in a nuclear arms race in the 80s), and inexpensive entertainment.Who cares if the green stuff would be deadly outside the lab, forget the reality and enjoy the film. It's a good one!

Here's a textbook example of all the post-'ET' rip-offs pitting bright teenagers against bad grown-ups, in this case packaged like an updated manual of mid-1980s commercial movie-making clichés. It's all here: the playful young smart-aleck prodigy (with attractive single mother and sexually active girlfriend); the wicked agents of federal bureaucracy; the solitary, sympathetic adult (as usual, a scientist); lots of distracting high-tech hardware; and a topical message. In more talented hands all these familiar ingredients might at least have been assembled with some style, but the comedy (?) plot (about the whiz-kid and his home built nuclear device) includes more lapses in logic, more contrived cleverness, and more implausible plot twists than even a teenage fantasy of this sort can support. Rule of thumb: never trust a movie that assumes its audience is less intelligent than the characters on screen.

i gotta say,i loved this movie.it's very well crafted.the atmosphere of the film is fantastic.i loved the way the film is lit.the characters are well constructed and believable,as well as being sympathetic.the acting is first rate.the music score couldn't have been better.the suspense is built to just the right point and isn't over done.the movie is almost two hours long but it moves comparatively quick for a movie of that length.i'm actually surprised there wasn't a sequel or that there hasn't been a remake.i think a remake(especially set in in present times)has the potential to be an interesting movie if done right with the right director/producer/cast.anyway,for me,The Manhattan Project is a 9/10