The Disappearance
Island of kidnapped scientists
Dr. Merrill (Montgomery) is kidnapped and shipped to an island far far away. Mark (Duffy) and fellow workers at the Foundation for Oceanic Research deduce where she’s being held and head into the super sub to save her. Turns out that Dr. Merrill, along with dozens of other scientists, has been kidnapped by a crazy scientist who dreams of whisking every one away to the stars and start a new utopia of sorts in space (since mankind has ruined everything on earth).
Sound familiar? Seems a bit like the Pilot episode? You bet! But it’s not exactly Copy/Paste as this one doesn’t need to go into Mark’s origin and heads right on into some action. This is the final (4th) TV movie leading up to the series and it’s actually to the most entertaining of the lot. It clocks in at 73 minutes and there’s not a lot of lulls here as the film moves at a brisk pace.
It’s a bit weird (with those shirtless body builders as guards for one) and a bit out-there with Dr. Merrill and Dr. Miller (Tigar) in constant euphoria due to some tainted water; but it’s quite entertaining and delivers some well placed humor; quite unexpectedly. The sci-fi aspect feels a bit downplayed here (compared to movies 2 and 3) in favor of more pure adventure and I liked that.
Duffy is getting comfortable with his character and fares well.
Well; onto the series.
