Panic in Year Zero Reviews

Milland and wife Hagen, along with their two teenage children, Avalon and Mitchell, leave Los Angeles for a fishing trip. Two hours outside of the city they hear an enormous explosion: nuclear war has begun. Milland decides to continue to the vacation spot since it's probably the safest place to be. They stop to get supplies and ammunition, then hole up in a cave that's safe from radiation. The family members notice Milland's demeanor slowly changing from serene to vengeful. At first they don't understand, but when Mitchell is raped by a group of roving punks, the rest of the family's demeanor changes too. Avalon and Milland kill the rapists and rescue Freeman, the woman the rogues have held hostage. A surviving member of the thugs tries to attack Freeman again, but she grabs a rifle and kills him. The family finally receives word that Los Angeles is safe, so they return to help rebuild civilization. This is one of five films Milland directed and probably the best of the lot. A good sense of tension overcomes some of the luridness in the plot. Nothing can overcome Avalon's acting, however; he's no better here than in any of his beach movies with Annette Funicello. Other performances are much better. Hagen, for instance, is fine as the mother who slowly cracks around the edges. Looking back on the movie nearly 30 years after its release, one notices a certain timelessness to PANIC IN YEAR ZERO! that sadly reflects on a society unable to solve the question of nuclear holocaust.