THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 16, 1994 TAG: 9412150083
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRENT A. BOWLES, TEENOLOGY MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
JUST IN CASE you didn't get enough PC speechifying in ``Philadelphia,'' here comes ``Disclosure,'' a ``message'' movie disguised as a high-tech story of corruption in a Seattle computer firm. Based on Michael Crichton's contrived best-selling novel, the film will doubtlessly inspire some heated arguments. The film itself gets lost in cliched bickering.
The plot involves corporate power and the use of sex, or sexual harassment, as a means of control. Family man Tom Sanders is falsely accused of harassing his boss and former flame, Meredith Johnson. This man vs. woman deal is supplanted somehow by a big corporate merger and a problem with Malaysian computer production. Get it?
Sanders is played by Michael Douglas, an actor who brings rock-hard gruffness to every role he plays. Manipulating Sanders is Demi Moore, a cold vixen out to gain power. Women and men will probably balk at her ``use my body as the weapon'' demeanor, and Mrs. Bruce Willis stumbles through some of the technical mumbo-jumbo.
The supporting cast is exactly that - supporting. Donald Sutherland drops by as the company's big cheese. Unfortunately, little is seen of Dennis Miller, the head of the resident computer hackers, whose sly wit is injected with chauvinistic lines.
The film's best performance is from Jacqueline Kim as Sanders' secretary, Cindy. Kim, seen briefly in ``Star Trek Generations,'' maintains a trite composure and thanklessly little contrived dialogue.
Miller's character warns about a ``cliche grande,'' and that is exactly what this film at times becomes. When the script departs its sex statement and becomes a high-tech thriller, some ground is regained with computer-generated visuals that make up the Corridor, essentially a virtual reality file cabinet.
Otherwise, the film isn't so impressive.
At times ``Disclosure'' looks like it was made for $1.98 with inexpensive location shooting and a brief appearance by Industrial Light and Magic's FX. And the music sounds like a mixture of a 4-year-old banging a synthesizer and an orchestra tuning up.
Paul Attanasio, who wrote Robert Redford's ``Quiz Show'' earlier this fall, scripted from Crichton's novel. The occasionally witty script was written before Crichton's book hit the shelves.
The real problem with ``Disclosure'' is its indecision. When it tries to make a statement, it trips, but when the conniving and intrigue start up, the movie becomes a crowd-pleasing thriller.
This may not be a good date movie or a standout film overall, but crunching a little popcorn with Michael Douglas isn't all that bad. MEMO: ``Disclosure'' is rated R, those under 17 not admitted without parent or
guardian. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Brent Bowles is attending James Madison U.
Photo
BRIAN HAMILL/Warner Bros.
Michael Douglas and Demi Moore trade charges of sexual harassment in
``Disclosure.''
by CNB