Ground Zero

Intriguing paranoia thriller starts very well, with an original basis for its plot (nuclear tests in Australia in the 50s and 60s), a fine lead performance from Friels, and exceptional support work from Thompson as a slimy, sinister government agent. But at the halfway point the suspense slackens and the film becomes plodding; by the time Pleasence arrives, effective as a radiation survivor, the movie seems to forget that it is a thriller. Beautifully shot for the scope format, though.