Tim O
Shallow, lightly built, lightly acted, lightly scripted, Nuclear Paranoia, EOTWAWKI flick. Fairly limited to Atomic Monster fans, and preppers.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
12/18/23
Full Review
william k
Very low-budget doomsday drama, the whole movie playing on a nightly desert road and the cast displaying a wild variety of talent, culminates in an abrupt downbeat ending.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
It has always intrigued me how cinema reflects its times--nothing demonstrates that to me more passionately than the doomsday scenario of nuclear apocalypse in movies, particularly during the times of extreme political crisis between the USA and then-USSR in both the 60's and 80's.
'This Is Not a Test' was director Fredric Gadette's lone work as director, producer and scriptwriter, and he's able to make, with a small set, a truck, a few cars, 17 no-name actors and a dog, an intriguing and moderately suspenseful genre entry. He utilizes a few nice gimmicks to make it more enjoyable--a murderer on the loose, a couple who should have divorced probably a decade ago, a lost rifle--some hilarious parts (what good is canned grapefruit juice if you don't have a can opener, and what 'discount world' sells mink coats?), and all tolled, it's a fine, low-budget 73 minutes that make me honestly wish Mr. Gadette had made a lot more movies.
(Cinephiles, this is readily available for a fine price in Mill Creek's 50-film set called 'Nightmare Worlds'. Don't say I didn't tell ya!) =)
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
Audience Member
It has always intrigued me how cinema reflects its times--nothing demonstrates that to me more passionately than the doomsday scenario of nuclear apocalypse in movies, particularly during the times of extreme political crisis between the USA and then-USSR in both the 60's and 80's.
'This Is Not a Test' was director Fredric Gadette's lone work as director, producer and scriptwriter, and he's able to make, with a small set, a truck, a few cars, 17 no-name actors and a dog, an intriguing and moderately suspenseful genre entry. He utilizes a few nice gimmicks to make it more enjoyable--a murderer on the loose, a couple who should have divorced probably a decade ago, a lost rifle--some hilarious parts (what good is canned grapefruit juice if you don't have a can opener, and what 'discount world' sells mink coats?), and all tolled, it's a fine, low-budget 73 minutes that make me honestly wish Mr. Gadette had made a lot more movies.
(Cinephiles, this is readily available for a fine price in Mill Creek's 50-film set called 'Nightmare Worlds'. Don't say I didn't tell ya!) =)
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/24/23
Full Review
Audience Member
just OK B movie fare
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/21/23
Full Review
Audience Member
It's a fine idea, but the film isn't executed well enough for it to be thrilling. I didn't like any of the characters, so the ending didn't effect me much. It ends, of course, the way you would expect it to. Overall, if it wasn't for the dumb characters and dull moments, it would be a good little atomic threat film.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/02/23
Full Review
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