Colossus: The Forbin Project

1970

Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970)

TOMATOMETER

88%

——

Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

AUDIENCE SCORE

75%

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Movie Info

The granddaddy of all "computer run amok" films, Colossus: The Forbin Project concerns a huge electronic brain designed to control the American missile defense system. Colossus' technicians do not count on the computer developing an intelligence of its own. Communicating with its Russian counterpart, Colossus decides to take over the earth, threatening global destruction should anyone try to pull its plug. The film's climax is unsettling, but no more so than the actual state of world affairs in 1970. Colossus: The Forbin Project was filmed in Canada.

Cast

Eric Braeden
as Dr. Charles Forbin
Susan Clark
as Dr. Cleo Markham
Gordon Pinsent
as The President
William Schallert
as CIA Director Grauber
Leonid Rostoff
as Russian Chairman
Georg Stanford Brown
as Dr. John F. Fisher
Willard Sage
as Dr. Blake
Alex Rodine
as Dr. Kurpin
Martin E. Brooks
as Dr. Jefferson J. Johnson
Marion Ross
as Angela Fields
Dolph Sweet
as Missile Commander
Byron Morrow
as Secretary of State
Lew Brown
as Peterson
Sid McCoy
as Secretary of Defense
Tom Basham
as Thomas L. Harrison
Sergei Tschernisch
as Russian Translator
Robert Cornthwaite
as Other Scientist
James Hong
as Other Scientist
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Critic Reviews for Colossus: The Forbin Project

All Critics (8) | Top Critics (3)

After an excellent beginning, the craven script (based on DF Jones' novel Colossus) develops cold feet, injects some tiresome comic relief, and gradually begins to drag the whole thing down.

Jan 26, 2006
Time Out
Top Critic

The movie is full of marvelous, absurd dialogue.

May 9, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
New York Times
Top Critic

Above-average science fiction.

Apr 9, 2005 | Full Review…
Chicago Reader
Top Critic

Taut, well-made sci-fi thriller about a massive computer.

Dec 14, 2010 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
TV Guide

A crisp, well-crafted movie that achieves its effects by calmly stating the facts, with the bare minimum of histrionics.

Aug 2, 2010 | Full Review…
SFX Magazine

Harrowing and truly gripping despite an obviously paltry budget.

Apr 9, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Filmcritic.com
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Audience Reviews for Colossus: The Forbin Project

½

Solid Cold War thriller, only let down by a cowardly ending.

Marcus Woolcott
Marcus Woolcott

Super Reviewer

Really, really well done "computers take over the world" movie from 1970. Highly recommended if you dig on paranoia fueled sci-fi!

Ken Stachnik
Ken Stachnik

Super Reviewer

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