Ever Seen It: Coma (1978)

     Many people may be able to recognize his name, but many fewer are actually able to give an example of his work. Michael Crichton, author of such books as Jurassic Park, Sphere, Congo, Disclosure, and Timeline (to name a few), is known even less for his directorship. Director of the films Westworld (1973), The Great Train Robbery (1979), and Looker (1981) Crichton's slew of films may not be the most renowned, but are decent nonetheless. Coma, his 1978 adaptation of the book of the same name by Robin Cook, is definitely in the style of his other contributions to the world of cinema.
     Young doctor Susan Wheeler's best friend comes out of surgery in a coma. Nothing overly suspiscious about this, save for the fact that it was a routine surgery that went off with nothing more than a slight loss of blood pressure in the patient. Susan believes it to be more than just a mistake and decides to search deeper into the issue to determine the true reason behind the coma. What she discovers is shocking and horrid, and the worst part is: nobody believes her.
     At least, it is supposed to be shocking and horrid... unfortunately, this high-suspense action/drama is riddled with sidetracks and elongated chase sequences that provide the audience with little excitement. Where the true heart of the film lies within the shock received from paranoia, the chase sequences last too long. The audience is provided with a respite from pure paranoia and given the opportunity to prove the conspiracies, but then they are forced to watch poor Susan get chased for over ten minutes.
     The film comes down to the last fifteen minutes of the story, finally providing the audience with answers they most likely guessed after the first fifteen, but with at least one forgiving and relieving detail (that I won't discuss here due to its spoileristic qualities).  All-in-all, Chrichton's film is a bit bland, a bit predictable, but still intriguing. The acting, although decent, can be as bland as the plot of the story, especially from the supporting actors and extras.

Snooping in the O.R. by Vincent Canby