After Midnight
12:01 (1993): 6 out of 10: As made for television sci-fi films go, this is defiantly one of the better ones. The sense of déjà vu one gets from watching it, however, is not necessarily from the same day repeating plot device but from the invariable comparisons to Groundhog Day.
In my always humble opinion, Groundhog Day was one of the best films of the nineties. It told an eternal truth that many of us just repeat the same day repeatedly, living no particular day to the max. 12:01 doesn’t successfully hit upon that theme and so for much of the film, it goes through the motions.
12:01 stars Helen Slater and Jonathan Silverman. Both actors never quite reached the promise of their early careers, but both are competent here. Slater just doesn’t quite have the charisma of say a Helen Hunt and Silverman just never quite reaches the comedy of say a Jerry Seinfeld. They are, however, both likable in their respective roles.
The story is a more serious sci-fi affair, complete with giant science machines and bad guys that wouldn’t be out of place in a TJ Hooker episode. With a relatively appealing cast and some nice humor, 12:01 makes for a decent time waster. Just don’t be surprised if you feel you have seen it all before.