With a promising exploitation (1978) R rating for sadistic bloody violence, I thought I would enjoy this New York Blackout flick but oh was I wrong.
I found this movie quite uninteresting, it reminds me of my "not worth watching" younger days. The movie seemed to me to focus more on what goes on in the residential apartment building rather than the New York blackout itself.
This film was set predominantly in an apartment building and this alone should have made a claustrophobic environment, creating great tension among the excessively cruel, psychopathic characters. Instead, the feeling was flattened by the fact that there were no entertaining or enjoyable performances (Belinda Montgomery, Ray Milland and June Allyson only have insignificant parts). I never felt the unnerving claustrophobia of being stuck in an elevator or apartment building that I expected.
The story line was ineffectual and progressively slow and never builds, nor unfolds to a riveting climax. The actors were not well developed and the story seemed unrealistic. James Mitchum did nothing for this motion picture nor for any of the other motion pictures he appeared in.
Despite the director's mediocre efforts, there just didn't seem to be enough story for a feature length film here. So, I was slightly prepared for an inferior Blackout movie that would either have a terribly obvious sad ending, or a blatantly false happy ending. However, to constantly see this tragic 'Blackout' situation played out in film after film is almost over kill and has become somewhat of an urban 'Blackout' film cliche.
Blackout is simply an uninteresting exploitation film. Go read a good book instead.
