21 reviews
I just couldn't find it in myself to be even the slightest bit touched or intrigued by this movie.It's plain ridiculous,poorly made(no one has to add it had a tight budget,that's pretty obvious) and lacks nerve. The basic plot is based on the average conspiracy theory,a man living a seemingly good and fulfilling life with a well-paid job,pretty wife and a roomy,probably pricey apartment suddenly realize nothing is what he believed it was. After a particularly traumatic incident at work,he takes the day after off to recuperate. Then things happen,in short.He must solve the mystery,do something,escape,find out what's going on.Voices appear to be talking to him from inside his head,manipulating him to consider actions he never dreamed of performing.Who's behind this? Or is he just becoming mentally ill?Well...I don't know what else to say about it.I just found myself sneering when watching it,no shivers,tension or excitement whatsoever. Can't recommend it to anyone looking for something else than a good laugh,well maybe if you're suffering from insomnia and the pills your doc prescribed won't work.I can appreciate a good B-movie,but this just isn't.
- nitedrive73
- Aug 27, 2006
- Permalink
The idea for this script was really original. I mean would have been if it had been made in the 1950's. If you're going to make a government mind-control conspiracy film, you've got to make it more interesting than this crap. It's been done before, and it's been done a hell of a lot better.
In summation: the idea was unoriginal, the script was poor, the acting was fine but uninspiring, and I feel as if the time spent watching this film would have been better spent sorting my navel fluff. It's beyond me how anyone that's ever seen a conspiracy-film before could give this film a good grade. In fact, I'm tempted to believe that there's mind control involved.
In summation: the idea was unoriginal, the script was poor, the acting was fine but uninspiring, and I feel as if the time spent watching this film would have been better spent sorting my navel fluff. It's beyond me how anyone that's ever seen a conspiracy-film before could give this film a good grade. In fact, I'm tempted to believe that there's mind control involved.
I've been having an ongoing conversation with a friend of mine who has conflicting comments about specific episodes of Stargate Atlantis when the rare gems of hard scifi scripts appear. This film is like one of those episodes.
It is rare to see a good script turned into something with stars, cash and the promotion behind it. This particular Baldwin is most definitely a blockbuster actor and I don't feel the 'family curse' extends to him. With more money you might feel this movie could be right up there on the billboards. Unfortunately it is hard scifi and the masses wouldn't cope with it. They want the softer, soapier stories and if that is what gets the blanket scifi genre out there as a viable product, so be it.
But every so often, there comes a tvseries or film that gives us hard scifi fans so much enjoyment that we collect together and make our views known. This film has its faults. The soundtrack feels separated from the lacking environmental sounds, the ending seems a bit rushed. There are many things that could be done better and a lot of these things appear to be to do with camera angles/direction and timings of specific shots/scenes.
We don't say everyone must immediately watch this or that DVD. We are here however unanimous in saying, "Control Factor is a gem of a movie for the hard scifi crowd and not to be missed even with its faults!"
It is rare to see a good script turned into something with stars, cash and the promotion behind it. This particular Baldwin is most definitely a blockbuster actor and I don't feel the 'family curse' extends to him. With more money you might feel this movie could be right up there on the billboards. Unfortunately it is hard scifi and the masses wouldn't cope with it. They want the softer, soapier stories and if that is what gets the blanket scifi genre out there as a viable product, so be it.
But every so often, there comes a tvseries or film that gives us hard scifi fans so much enjoyment that we collect together and make our views known. This film has its faults. The soundtrack feels separated from the lacking environmental sounds, the ending seems a bit rushed. There are many things that could be done better and a lot of these things appear to be to do with camera angles/direction and timings of specific shots/scenes.
We don't say everyone must immediately watch this or that DVD. We are here however unanimous in saying, "Control Factor is a gem of a movie for the hard scifi crowd and not to be missed even with its faults!"
Another variation on the popular mind control theme, and a good one, with a strong expressionist leaning in kind of a somewhat De-Palma-esquire style. Emphasis on action and suspense amplified by a battery of artful shooting tricks.
The story is simple, but good enough. Excellent photo and sequencing, nice acting by Baldwin and Berkley in their not very difficult roles, some good surprises. Flawless job, a bit thin, a bit unrealistic, no masterpiece, but a show of professional craftsmanship a good measure above average. And - Elizabeth Berkleys nice look IS an asset to count on - after all, movies a-r-e for watching, aren't they?
So, the technically high quality of the film makes it an effective opportunity to meditate on the philosophy of Free Will, and on it's political implications. There are no obstacles for the engaged watchers to supply some subtleties themselves by creative reflection. This good entertainment does not lack substance.
The story is simple, but good enough. Excellent photo and sequencing, nice acting by Baldwin and Berkley in their not very difficult roles, some good surprises. Flawless job, a bit thin, a bit unrealistic, no masterpiece, but a show of professional craftsmanship a good measure above average. And - Elizabeth Berkleys nice look IS an asset to count on - after all, movies a-r-e for watching, aren't they?
So, the technically high quality of the film makes it an effective opportunity to meditate on the philosophy of Free Will, and on it's political implications. There are no obstacles for the engaged watchers to supply some subtleties themselves by creative reflection. This good entertainment does not lack substance.
Lance Bishop (Adam Baldwin) is a common thirty-three years old American citizen, married with his beloved wife Karen (Elizabeth Berkley) and working in an insurance company. When a deranged shooter invades the building where Lance works, and shoots killing and hurting some colleagues of Lance, the guy tries to kill him and tells that he is saving Lance from a horrible destiny. Soon Bishop has nightmares and his life changes when he discovers what is the cause of his bad dreams.
This is the beginning of one of the best science-fiction movies I have recently seen. The plot contains elements of "They Live", "Total Recall", "X-Files" and "Matrix" and is very engaging. I really do not understand the unfair IMDb User rating of 4.6 for such an outstanding B-movie. Fortunately I bought this VHS without seeing this ridiculous quotation. The story, of a government agency controlling the hearts and souls of the population, in an experiment aimed "to increase the productivity of the workers, control the criminality and even the elections", is spectacular. I can not write much more about this intriguing story, because the mystery deserves to be disclosed and appreciated by the viewer. I really liked this movie a lot, all the team (director, writer, cast, producer, crew etc.) deserves a congratulation and my vote is ten for such a wonderful and magnificent surprise.
Title (Brazil): "O Controle da Mente" ("The Mind Control")
Note: On 26 September 2015, I saw this film again.
This is the beginning of one of the best science-fiction movies I have recently seen. The plot contains elements of "They Live", "Total Recall", "X-Files" and "Matrix" and is very engaging. I really do not understand the unfair IMDb User rating of 4.6 for such an outstanding B-movie. Fortunately I bought this VHS without seeing this ridiculous quotation. The story, of a government agency controlling the hearts and souls of the population, in an experiment aimed "to increase the productivity of the workers, control the criminality and even the elections", is spectacular. I can not write much more about this intriguing story, because the mystery deserves to be disclosed and appreciated by the viewer. I really liked this movie a lot, all the team (director, writer, cast, producer, crew etc.) deserves a congratulation and my vote is ten for such a wonderful and magnificent surprise.
Title (Brazil): "O Controle da Mente" ("The Mind Control")
Note: On 26 September 2015, I saw this film again.
- claudio_carvalho
- May 13, 2005
- Permalink
The film is a low budget one and no amount of acting could have saved it. Adam Baldwin does a fair job, Elisabeth Berkley... well, I never liked her, Tony Todd is amazingly old in this movie, I've always liked him, but in this film he is not that great. One can even recognize John Neville, in his usual god-like role.
However, it did manage to keep me on edge, mostly because it is such an outrageous concept. Once you dared put yourself in the same place with the main character you cannot but wonder "what if this is really happening?". You won't get the answer from a movie, but I know enough to know that it is definitely possible.
In the end, if you get over the disgusting racial issue of the "black posse", you ignore the religious babble that seems to infect the movie ending and you try to cope with the bad acting of some people, you get a reasonable movie.
Oh yeah, nearly forgot, cell phones are NOT the enemy! I need my cell towers! :)
However, it did manage to keep me on edge, mostly because it is such an outrageous concept. Once you dared put yourself in the same place with the main character you cannot but wonder "what if this is really happening?". You won't get the answer from a movie, but I know enough to know that it is definitely possible.
In the end, if you get over the disgusting racial issue of the "black posse", you ignore the religious babble that seems to infect the movie ending and you try to cope with the bad acting of some people, you get a reasonable movie.
Oh yeah, nearly forgot, cell phones are NOT the enemy! I need my cell towers! :)
caught this one night on the sciFi channel and was surprised. they usually have some bad stuff but this one was actually good for a change. if you like conspiracy kinds of things that are paranoid you'll dig it. acting was decent and the story had some unusual twists. elizabeth berkley is still nice to look at all these years after showgirls!
- terencevasa
- Jan 7, 2010
- Permalink
I decided to record this movie when it appeared on the Space channel only because I noted that its lead was Adam Baldwin, an actor whose work I enjoy more each time I see him. I had not counted on discovering a disturbing, even frightening, vision of conspiracy. With the ever reliable Tony Todd and John Neville as well as the surprising talent of the lovely Elizabeth Berkley, this film was a definite winner. This is true horror, of the variety of the first Matrix movie with overtones of X-Files or of Conspiracy Theory. I found myself caring about the characters and experiencing that eye-widening fearful tension of watching an average man caught in a strange and hopeless situation. Kudos to the writer, director and actors. Truly a gem of a motion picture.
- Woodyanders
- Jul 25, 2010
- Permalink
This movie required some background that has to be understood to grasp the full implication that this can be done in the United States. The actual Mind Control Experiments began with the using microwave radiation is actually being used under the United States project called "Operation Crimson Mist", which killed over a million people directed against a sovereign nation of Africa, Rwanda. The method of mind control was done by the United States hidden in an unmarked C-130 Hercules Airplane under the guise of "atmospheric researchers" of what was to be become one of the most deadly mind control experiments in history. Following the assassination of the then President of Rwanda, under the guise of a simple assassination, the Hercules plane began on 6th of April 1994. This information is verifiable. The method of transmitting synthetic telepathy is done two ways, one by electrical stimulation, using patented Dr. Patrick Flanagan's neurophone technology, the second newer more sinister, microwave signals, where the information to send data to communicate to the brain occurs between 0.1 Hz to 8 Hz, a carrier signals of microwave radiation between 1-3.0 Gigahertz, when this signal combines you get a "voices" that speak in your mind. For those unbelievers, the technology of using electrical signals is now declassified and deaf people can now "hear sounds" or hear voices using neurophone technology, but these very same signals maybe projected using microwave signals as part of mind control experiments, basically as part of the overall goals by New World Order of population control. It's no coincidence that even U.N. has ultimate goal of population control too. The experiments in Rwanda lead to a death of at least 500,000 deaths at the beginning, where later deaths mounted into a million. Hence with this background in mind, I hope you will enjoy the movie when this experiments is furthered into a domestic home of Mr. Lance Bishop, an insurance manager, being a victim of mind control, where their objectives were to control population behavior, but more precisely, a hidden control to control "votes", which if those in power can get this kind of guarantee, who wouldn't in for those in power NOT be interested in mass mind control? Enjoy the movie - its one of the very few that knew the background, but this information was just missing from such an enjoyable movie, at least for conspiracy buffs such as myself. You may further research this on Rwanda "Operation Crimson Mist" or take a more look on the deaths, in the movie, "Hotel Rwanda". In case you are wondering who were the powers that be on Rwanda, it's usually the CIA, and they have done that in Project Tuskagee, against its own population too. For a conspiracy theory buffs, I am sure you will enjoy it!
It's a remarkable movie not by realization (could be better) but for ideas, as in Matrix 1, Truman Show, Das Experiment, 1984, etc. In my opinion one of the best and also with a good idea to start, we know they will always try to subdue us and forcing us working without freedom, or the possibilities of even think something against the regime. But also we must know that if we don't react every time our freedom is broken, we will finish being slaves. We are partially but not 100%, they want 100%, they don't accept less, but something more, they even want that we must be grateful towards them for the chance of working until death for corporations, greed, money, or power of leaders. Think about this when the age of retirement will become 70 years old or over. The meaning is for most of us starting to work at 20 or less we must fulfill 50 years of working and for majority hard working, just to have the right to stop finally at 70 (if in life then) and hopping few years to enjoy the loans, the home buy ed in 50 years or more, the divorce because the lack of time or too much stress provoked by job, the death of someone loved because lack of money or lack of social security, trying to forget drug or alcohol problems caused also by the job and many many more, finally thinking is there a little percent left until 100% or we are already there with factor or no factor control. The most important factor control nowadays is not the microwave, but the money seeing the financial crisis now is not such incredible thing, doesn't it? It's enough to think back how often crises was, what reasons for wars was, for military intervention, for cold war, you name it, but most of it just think who get a use of this? Because we, the normal, poor peoples with normal problems (could say daily problems not provoked by acquisition of a new yacht, or a new mistress) we have nothing to win au contraire. And who then, maybe the banks (just an element of taking profit of all trades) the oligarchies, the governments, the key persons of worldwide organizations, corporates ones? In conclusion a must see movie with a cold water douche effect. Waakeeeeeeeeee uuuuuuuuuuuup!
- Costiputza
- May 18, 2009
- Permalink
Control Factor is one of those films that makes you wonder. "What if a big name director took this project under their wing?" I asked myself. Sadly that didn't happen but what the resulting film still makes one of the best movie of the weeks i've ever seen. Nelson did a great job with the budget and the movie turned out to be a quickly paced thriller that has an actual theme (sadly unlike most of Sci Fi channels "saturday action" originals.) Adam Baldwin, Tony Todd and Elizabeth Berkley did a wonderful job and their was not a bad role acting wise in the entire movie. While the movie lacked some action (probably due to it's tight budget) it did provide some bang, a few nice visuals and was compelling right up until the end. In the end if your looking for a decent sci-fi thriller and this is on, your search has ended.
- vidalsdauphin
- Jan 30, 2004
- Permalink
The movie contains a lot of surprises and a lot of stressful moments. One of the best seen lately on the TV. I recommend it to everyone =)) The actors were chosen well, too, I think. The idea of the movie is really interesting, I think... but the best is how it is presented - when i read a short description i thought this will be the usual American "thriller" with nothing interesting in it (like Boogeyman). But lately it turned out to be almost as good as one of the best movies in my scale, The Butterfly effect. O.K. Not that good, but for a TV movie - I give the 10 points and say that the movie is excellent. For some it may seem a bit too sweet... but i think it was OK cause the action was chosen very well. Thank you, authors, for such a nice film.
This film was reminiscent of the film (I think it was called They Live) starring Rowdy Roddy Piper and the plot of that film was that aliens are controlling the thought processes of humankind by a transmitter high on top of a building. Well, in this film there aren't any aliens. This time it's our own government that is controlling our thought processing. I won't give away any plot details but I will tell you this. Whoever wrote the screenplay did a superb job. This film makes you wonder and keep guessing as to what will happen. I'm almost at the end of the film and I can't wait to get back, it's that good. So watch it on the Sci-fi channel. Enjoy -Melody
I guess I've always been a sucker for movies like the Matrix where everything's weird and you don't know what's going on. This seems to be an attempt at that and for the most part it works. I can't say I'm very familiar with Adam Baldwin (is he a Baldwin brother?) but he seemed to do a good job with his part. And I was surprised to see Elizabeth Berkeley actually get to act for a change and not just take off her clothes. I guess they didn't have a very big budget because it isn't really about action as much as figuring out what's going on. There's a nice twist about midway into it that caught me totally by surprise. Also an interesting ending that - gasp! - tries to say something.
- defcon_dude
- Jan 20, 2003
- Permalink
I hesitated to see the movie because of that 5.1 from IMDb.com (but it is not the first time when the note is far below the quality of a movie - maybe they can do something about it). Surprisingly, it's an excellent film and the acting is very good. Adam Baldwin, as always, a wonderful actor, sustains very well the lead role. I still do not understand why he has not more leading roles in which he can show his true value. The actress who plays the wife sustains very well her character. The whole action is entertaining.Although there are some aspects and parts of the plot who does not run very well, on the whole it's a very good movie, For my part, I give the maximum evaluation.
- myrella-ivan
- Sep 16, 2014
- Permalink
Normally I watch 1 or 2 movies in the weekend, but most of them are crap!
I think that most of the movie lovers feel or might start to feel that watching a good movie it's just like winning the lottery. So I would like to offer you the right ticket.
Without spoiling anything I just like to say/write that I'm sure that you will be pleased with this movie if you liked "Equilibrium" or "Paychek". What about the people that haven't seen any of the movies above? They just have to see one. If you like it, see the other two, otherwise skip them!
Last advice: Don't haste you time on Hollywood crap, just because some movie own Oscars!
I think that most of the movie lovers feel or might start to feel that watching a good movie it's just like winning the lottery. So I would like to offer you the right ticket.
Without spoiling anything I just like to say/write that I'm sure that you will be pleased with this movie if you liked "Equilibrium" or "Paychek". What about the people that haven't seen any of the movies above? They just have to see one. If you like it, see the other two, otherwise skip them!
Last advice: Don't haste you time on Hollywood crap, just because some movie own Oscars!
i saw this film not long after it was released when it came on sky and I've been looking for this film ever since i couldn't get it out of my head (lol), i only just found it. i had seen it but i couldn't remember the name of it everything that happens in the film i could tell you but not the name. its got a brilliant storyline and i thought it was great the action was good. anyone who watches this film will have a hard job to forget it. if your looking for a film which is unusual then you have found it. i have never seen a film before with a story line quite like this one. definitely one to watch best film I've ever seen but because i didn't know who the actors were I've had a hard job finding it.