daggersineyes
One of the best thrillers I've ever seen and the fact that it's a lesser budget "made for TV" movie doesn't diminish it's brilliance. It outshines most big budget Hollywood guff out there and provides the viewer with a tense, nail-biting experience mostly powered by two riveting performances from Molly Parker & John C. McGinley. This is what the French film, Haute Tension (High Tension/Switchblade romance) wanted to be but failed dismally. Intensity is the original movie based on Koontz novel - sadly Haute Tension, no matter how vehemently it's makers deny it - was a failed attempt to remake Intensity but not credit Koontz. They threw in a bunch of random "shocking" scenes/gore & a lame twist at the end hoping this would disguise the fact that it's the exact same story & they plagiarized it. What the directors of the French version didn't understand is why, even with it's low budget & basic production, this version of Intensity works so well and theirs doesn't. The acting, the script, the development of the plot and the fact that it isn't just slash & gore for the sake of it, THAT'S why it works. It's why this movie is a MUST SEE if you are able to find a copy of it anywhere while it's sneaky, absurdly violent, badly acted, slasher rip off - Haute Tension - is a "must avoid at all costs".And I have to stress how absolutely incredible John McGinley was as the psycho dude. Somehow he managed to come across as chillingly insane AND absurdly normal at the same time. One of THE best villains ever.I can't recommend this two-part mini-series enough. Please try and get a hold of the full uncut version if you can. It's definitely going to be a repeat viewer for me.
DLWofBDR
When I read Dean Koontz's "Intensity", I thought it was the most exciting book I'd ever read. I was thrilled to find the movie on TV and delighted to have been able to catch it on tape.Although there are some holes in the plot, it is so consistently riveting that I barely noticed those indiscretions. I do wish there had been more mention of Chyna's motivation for so boldly risking her life. The book explains (very well, I think) what drives her behavior, but if you see the movie before reading the book, you're left wondering if she's even crazier than her adversary.Flaws in the plot or screen writing aside, I thought the acting was superb, especially McGinley's chilling portrayal of the ultimate adrenaline junkie. He manages to paint him not as the deranged nutcase that we'd expect, but rather as an evil and sadistic, yet perfectly sane and sensible sociopath. And THAT is the scariest aspect of the movie.I would highly recommend this movie for anyone who likes a good thriller. It's well worth the 4 or so hours that it runs, if you can find it on TV. You may catch a flub or two, or even not like it at all, but I bet you'll never forget it!
funkybiatch79
Sometimes when you read a book before seeing the movie the end result can be a disappointment... not so with "Intensity". This was a great movie that had all the characterisation of the book along with all the edge of your seat thrills and scares. I would definitely recommend that anyone who enjoyed this film read the book as there are a few details that obviously couldn't be translated to the screen. I read the book when I was about 15 and thought it would make a great movie and I was not wrong. Molly Parker makes a great Chyna, playing her with just the right balance of angst and ballsiness. Tori Paul's Ariel is just as I'd imagined her and the young actress's ability to play her with a constant look of absence could be described as somewhat haunting. But it is John C. McGinley, as the sadistic Edgler Foreman Vess, who really steals the show. I can think of no other actor capable of playing this character. The wonder of Edgler Vess is that at the same time as being an absolutely disgusting monster of a man he is also written as disarmingly charming. McGinley manages to play him perfectly. For anyone who has ever seen McGinley in "Scrubs" they should try to imagine his Dr. Cox with a penchant for actually doing all the things he threatens to do. From the moment we first see him in the movie we understand that here is a man with no limits to what he will do just to feel the intensity of the moment. It is not until a little further into the movie that you realise that Vess is actually a fully functioning member of the community who is actually quite adept at interacting with the people he meets in a slick and charming manner (if he so chooses.) Overall this is an excellent screen adaptation of a brilliant book. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys their thrillers with a slightly disturbing edge. Watch and enjoy!
meatwad50
This movie was excellent, in my opinion. I am an avid reader of Dean Koontz and Stephen King novels and Intensity did a pretty good job of following the book. My only gripe about it is that I can't find it on DVD anywhere. I can't even find a videotape of it. I think that's because it was a made-for-TV-movie. Still, there have been many other made-for-TV-movies that have become available on DVD or video. Why not this one? I got my wife to start reading Dean Koontz some time ago. I promised her that when she got done reading the book that we would watch the movie. Unfortunately, I can't even find the movie on television anymore. This movie shows a really good example of an average person (Chyna Sheperd) overcoming her own fears with courage and a desire to make things right. Edglar Vess is just plain creepy and twisted!
AD
