F/X (1986)

F/X (1986)

What does F/X mean? No, it is not a complicated math equation. It is actually a short abbreviation for special effects which are obviously used in film and television, such as 1986’s F/X. This is a film that is the product of its time. It is an 80’s flick with slick action sequences and your usual action movie shootouts. Unlike many action flicks, this is actually an adept psychological thriller that will pull strings and confuse your mind if you are not paying attention. There are so many twists that it is hard to keep count which will cause some haywire. Ironically enough, the film is not laden with special effects. Instead, Academy Award winner John Stears was able to integrate them into the characters and the plot.

The film was written by two novice writers, a documentarian named Robert Megginson and actor Gregory Fleeman. The original plan for the script was to be made into a low-budget television movie. When the producers read the script, they decided it would work better as a cinematic film, which obviously is the better choice given the material. They were against hiring an action director and instead wanted to focus on someone who can develop characters. Robert Mandel was their first choice. As an off-Broadway director, he developed an artsy reputation and wanted to rid himself of that. Despite his experience (or lack thereof) of working with action, he proved himself capable. They do not blow you out of the water or anything, but they were staged well and came across as professional. This could also be attributed to the tight editing and good use of special effects.

The film’s premise is unique and that gives it a sense of freshness. Rolland Taylor (Bryan Brown) is a special effects artist who made a name for himself working with special effects in horror or slasher films. The federal government wants to see for themselves. The mastermind behind this entire plot is Lipton (Cliff De Young) who wants to use Taylor’s skill to stage the murder of a gangster informant Nicholas DeFranco (Jerry Orbach). Eventually, Leo McCarthy (Brian Dennehy) an NYPD cop gets involved and is confused why the FBI is acting strange. So many questions are asked. Is DeFranco really dead? Who can Taylor trust? Who wants Taylor dead?

The performances are solid all the way through. I did not find a poor performance anywhere. My personal standout is Brian Dennehy as the cop. He has a commanding screen presence. Watching him trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together was fun. Bryan Brown also gave a solid, professional performance and he really made it seem like he was a special effects wiz. I also cannot forget Diane Venora who plays Taylor’s ill-fated girlfriend in typical fashion.

Overall, F/X is a good time at the movies. It is your typical 80’s action flick that is slightly elevated by its unique premise. Instead of being straight action, Mandel incorporated some psychological thriller elements. Perhaps too much of them. The film also benefits from strong technical work such as its editing and production design. As a television movie, it probably would have been garbage. At least we got a fun little action movie. This is one that no one knows about, so if you like these kind of flicks, check this out.

My Grade: B