MOVIE REVIEW : ‘Millennium’ Goes on Forever

“Millennium” (citywide) is a hopelessly tedious time-travel fantasy that represents the all-too-typical mediocrity of the commercial Canadian cinema.

John Varley may be a prize-winning science-fiction writer, but his screenplay, which he adapted from his short story “Air Raid,” is altogether unpersuasive. Add conscientious yet plodding direction by Michael Anderson, cut-rate special effects and production design, and you’ve got a big bore. “Millennium” has little to distract you from the obvious phony hair coloring of its stars.

They are Kris Kristofferson and Cheryl Ladd and, to their credit, they are game. Kristofferson plays a burned-out air-disaster investigator who encounters the slightly mysterious Ladd while attempting to find out what caused a midair collision between a DC-10 and a 747 somewhere in the Midwest.

When, after a night of love making, Ladd says gratefully, “You’re the best thing in a thousand years,” Kristofferson understandably doesn’t pick up the clue, but we soon learn that she has come from the future on a mission most improbable. Ladd and especially Kristofferson are convincing lovers, but their romance hasn’t a prayer in overcoming its leaden circumstances. Third-billed Daniel J. Travanti is stuck playing a smug physicist with a strong interest in time-travel.

Despite its title, “Millennium” (rated PG-13 for adult situations) should have a short life span.

‘MILLENNIUM’

A 20th Century Fox release of a Gladden Entertainment presentation. Executive producers John Foreman, Freddie Fields, Louis M. Silverstein, P. Gael Mourant. Producer Douglas Leiterman. Co-producer Robert Vince. Director Michael Anderson. Screenplay John Varley; based on his short story “Air Raid.” Camera Rene Ohashi. Music Eric N. Robertson. Production designer Gene Rudolf. Costumes Olga Dimitrov. Special visual effects created by Light and Motion. Second-unit camera John Harris. Film editor Ron Wisman. With Kris Kristofferson, Cheryl Ladd, Daniel J. Travanti, Robert Joy, Lloyd Bochner, Brent Carver, David McIlwraith, Maury Chaykin, Al Waxman.

Running time: 1 hour, 45 minutes.

MPAA-rated: PG-13 (parents strongly cautioned; some material may be inappropriate for children younger than 13).