HELLFIRE

   Film (1986). Manley. Written and dir William Murray, starring Kenneth McGregor, Sharon Mason, Julie Miller, Jon Maurice, Joseph White. 89 mins. Colour.

   In 1997 a revolutionary power source, Hellfire, is a controversial issue. Terrorists destroy a space station in an attempt to stop the project which, while it could produce pollution-free energy, also - as in Fire Pattern (1984) by Bob SHAW and Torched (1986) by James Blackstone(John BROSNAN) - tends to produce spontaneous human combustion. A private eye (McGregor) is hired by a cool blonde (Miller) to investigate her murderous tycoon brother, who controls Hellfire. Stereotyped hardboiled underworld events are foregrounded, while an understated but quite effective future vision serves as background. Director Murray is clumsy with actors and action scenes alike, and, while the sparkly combustion trick is quite impressive, the futuristic vehicles are unconvincing.

   KN

   See also: SPACE HABITATS.