Intrepid Cast, Electric Aliens Spark ‘Virus’

Imagine an alien life force that is electrical rather than protoplasmic in nature, and you’ve got the gimmick that energizes “Virus,” an unpretentious, amusing thrill-a-minute sci-fi horror thriller / monster movie that plugs right into fears of a Y2K crisis.

Inspired by Chuck Pfarrar’s comic book series of the same name, this imaginatively designed (by Mayling Cheng) Universal release marks an authoritative, vigorous directorial debut for special effects Oscar winner John Bruno, who understands the need to balance technical wizardry with solid storytelling and strong characterizations. Amid outsized mechanical arachnids and Terminator-like mutants, Jamie Lee Curtis, William Baldwin and Donald Sutherland more than hold their own and carry the day.

When a Russian missile satellite tracking ship trolling the South Seas connects with space station MIR it gets such a jolt it’s transformed into a ghost vessel. When a salvage ship owned by Sutherland’s Captain Everton comes upon the seemingly abandoned Akademic Vadislav Volkov, Everton and his men smell millions in profit. Navigator Kit Foster (Curtis), a no-nonsense admiral’s daughter, prophetically counters that “There’s no such thing as easy money.”

From the moment Sutherland and his crew step aboard the Russian ship they encounter evidence of strange and violent occurrences. And whatever happened to the Russians? Helpfully, the Russian chief science officer, Nadia (Joanna Pacula), has survived. Fighting back shock and fear, Nadia has a story to tell that makes “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” sound like a fairy tale.

The stars are all coming off career highs: Curtis with “Halloween: H20,” Sutherland with “Without Limits” and Baldwin with the dazzling and venturesome “Shattered Image.” In “Virus” Sutherland supplies the greed and stupidity, Curtis the brains and guts and Baldwin the staunch backup. As for Pacula, “Virus” represents one of the best opportunities she has had since her debut in “Gorky Park,” playing a beautiful woman of superior intelligence and selfless courage.

Cheng’s stunning production design is equaled by the contributions of the various special effects crews, and cinematographer David Eggby’s fluid, shadowy camera work and Joel McNeely’s brooding score. For all of this lively and entertaining film’s considerable artistry and craftsmanship, “Virus” opened Friday without benefit of press previews. It may not be, in studio parlance, a “critic-driven” kind of film, but the many people who contributed to its success deserved more respect than that.

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MPAA-RATED: R, for sci-fi violence / gore, and for language. Times guidelines: The violence / gore quotient and language are standard for the genre.

‘Virus’

Jamie Lee Curtis: Kit Foster

William Baldwin: Steve Baker

Donald Sutherland: Captain Everton

Joanna Pacula: Nadia

A Universal Pictures and Mutual Film Co. presentation of a Dark Horse Entertainment / Valhalla Motion Pictures production. Director John Bruno. Producer Gale Anne Hurd. Executive producers Mike Richardson, Chuck Pfarrar, Gary Levinsohn, Mark Gordon. Screenplay by Chuck Pfarrar and Dennis Feldman; based on the Dark Horse comic book series “Virus” created by Chuck Pfarrar. Cinematographer David Eggby. Editor Scott Smith. Music Joel McNeely. Production designer Mayling Cheng. Art directors Donald B. Woodruff, Jay Hinkle, Robert J. Quinn. Set decorator Donald Kraft. Special effects supervisor Chuck Gaspar. Visual effects by Fantasy II Film Effects. Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes.

In general release.