Special Bulletin Reviews

A shattering hybrid of Ghostwatch and The Day After, director Edward Zwick's faux newscast concerning a group of American terrorists using a nuclear device to hold Charleston, SC, hostage takes on an especially chilling tone when viewed in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, tragedy. Despite the fact that only a fraction of Special Bulletin's running time is committed to detailing the horrific scenes of nuclear devastation that dominated such mid-'80s efforts as Threads and The Day After, it's the manner in which events unfold and the reaction of both the government and media that eerily foreshadow the 9/11 coverage all too accurately. Presented with flashy (for the 1980s), stylized graphics and taking a notably sensational tone, the fictional "RBS" coverage flawlessly conveys the modern-day catch-22 of the news media as they present the story while simultaneously becoming the story, while the overconfident government spokesman schemes to spin the crisis in a way that will give the illusion of security -- with an ultimately unspeakable outcome. With such contemporary threats as nuclear briefcases and "dirty bombs," it's nothing short of a miracle that Americans have gone this long without facing a nuclear terror threat such as the one portrayed in Special Bulletin. One can only hope that if a similar situation were ever to unfold for real, the powers that be would take note of the film and use whatever tactics necessary to prevent this horrifying fiction from becoming reality.