Brainiac

Grade Z idiocy, more in the tradition of 'The Relic' than anything that played at your local Bijou during the 1950s, regarding the testing of a new medication that will in theory cure both substance addiction and certain psychoses. The customary results occur.

Despite low production values, 'Brainiac' is almost redeemed by a few good performances, particularly by Lisa Nistri as the only practical--and not practically-braindead--member of the medical staff, and Joe Hansard, who finds fresh depths to plumb as the slovenly, clueless police detective you've seen in a million other movies. Both actors perform above the level of the script, although you'll still be wondering why it takes them so long to figure out what you knew after ten minutes.

In the debit column, co-writer/executive producer/actor/show-off Greg Bayan must've tried to get Joe Mantegna to play Van Dorn and decided to play Joe Mantegna himself when he couldn't. He's okay, but the filmmakers should've held out for Joe Mantegna.

'Brainiac' is paced pretty well by first-time director Terry Michael King and makes the most of its ho-hum Johnstown, Pennsylvania locations. The movie's major flaw--and it's a big one--is with the special effects. There's a nifty severed-head-in-a-toilet shot, and they must've mixed up too much fake blood for the movie and decided not to waste any, but those parts are mostly set dressing. The meat-and potatoes of the effects are frequently laughable. Credited to the Tom Savini School of Make-Up FX, you might be wondering if the whole film wasn't an entrance exam instead.

But all in all, as a first effort for most of those concerned, it could've been a lot worse.