The summer of 1999 was not exactly known for action-packed movies. There was Entrapment (with Catherine Zeta-Jones Douglas and Sean Connery) and The Thomas Crown Affair re-make (with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo). But those films seemed to cater more to the grandparent set than to the excitement-hungry, youth demographic.
Looking back, Chill Factor was one of a very few offerings from 1999 with the typical, action film scenario of placing two good-looking, young men with way too much time on their hands in a nerve-wracking, life and death situation. The 2004 DVD release of this fast-paced thrill ride now gives all those who missed it, back then, a chance to enjoy it now. And, an opportunity to receive some cool DVD extras as well.
Chill Factor Plot
Chill Factor stars Skeet Ulrich (of Scream and As Good As It Gets – in the latter, he plays a street kid who drops his pants for money), and Cuba Gooding, Jr. (of Jerry Maguire and As Good As It Gets – in the latter he plays a supporting gay character who keeps his clothes on). Don’t expect this movie to rate up there with any of those previous efforts in terms of originality or substance. Chill Factor is pure escapism entertainment.
To put it simply (and there is no other way to put it), the plot centers around a pseudo-techno-chemical-weapon-terrorist story, based on the premise that if the temperature hits 50 degrees, the heat-sensitive chemical weapon will explode like a nuclear device. Given this set of flimsy criteria, it’s a good thing the device is housed within an ice cream truck. The bad part of this is that the truck’s engine threatens to overheat every other minute, and a drive through the sweltering desert is the surest route to safety.
Race Against Time
Chill Factor is slow to start. The two buddies-in-danger-to-be are complete strangers when they first meet, so the movie takes its time creating plausible reasons for them to become allies before they can embark on a hero’s journey. Once they find themselves on a collision course, from being in the same wrong place at the same wrong time, the lead characters are caught up in a proverbial race against time. They must keep the doomsday device on ice, keep it out of the hands of the incompetent bad guys chasing them, and get it into the hands of the good guys so it may be competently deactivated.
Despite some unbelievable developments, lots of well-choreographed chase scenes, huge explosions, and tense moments will keep viewers glued to the action, while spurts of humor and dizzying plot twists make it worth the time. Just don’t expect this movie to be anything more than a mildly pleasurable way to fill an hour or so in front of the screen.
DVD Extras
Since there is no Keanu Reeves or Sandra Bullock in what amounts to Speed on an ice cream truck, the DVD extras are a much-welcomed added value. Along with audio commentary by director Hugh Johnson, the Chill Factor DVD offers a behind-the-scenes documentary about the movie’s visual-effects. There are bios of the cast and crew, along with production notes and interviews. There is also an interactive game for DVD-ROM users with a view of the alternate ending as the pay off.
Chill Factor is released through Warner Home Video and clocks in at 102 minutes. It is rated R.
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