Imagine your life hangs by a thread. Imagine your body hangs by a wire. Imagine you're not imagining.

Starring: Geneviève Bujold, Michael Douglas, Elizabeth Ashley, Rip Torn, Richard Widmark, Lois Chiles, Hari Rhodes, Richard Doyle, Lance LeGault, Tom Selleck, Ed Harris, Philip Baker Hall

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"Look at this. Two hundred and forty names. Ten are young people admitted for minor procedures. Breast biopsy, appendectomy. They all come out in a coma! Aren't you surprised?" - Dr. Susan Wheeler

Why watch this? This might test your ability to simply trust your doctors.

Plot Summary: A surgical resident at a prestigious hospital grows suspicious when a healthy friend falls into a permanent coma after a routine procedure. As she uncovers evidence of a disturbing trend of other patients suffering the same fate, she begins to investigate against the wishes of her colleagues. Her search for the truth pits her against the powerful medical establishment and reveals a chilling conspiracy hiding beneath the hospital's surface.

Dad's Preview: This science-gone-bad thriller is based on the Robin Cook novel of the same name. Writer Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park) tries his hand at directing and does a nice job. The film's premise is almost too creepy to mention and that is a strength. There are stellar performances by Richard Widmark, as the morally compromised chief of surgery; and the film's heroine, Geneviève Bujold, who carries the movie with her frantic determination to uncover the ghastly truth. For a thriller from the 1970's, it holds up well with some creative medical set pieces. This film will make your skin crawl.  

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; United Artists