Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Trigger Effect’

Written by Scott Edwards

There is nothing wrong with depending on technology since it has made our lives much easier, but do you think that you could live without it altogether? I know many people that would figuratively die if they did not have their smart phones to text or check social media. Seeing technology grow when I had to read encyclopedias to get information since the internet has not always been around, I am sure I would be ok with a break from it all, I mean I learned to type on an old school typewriter. Just because some things might seem outdated, it does not mean that they are bad and if or when the system fails, will you be able to survive losing everything it gave you?

Matthew and Annie have been a very happy couple for years and with a baby girl thrown into the mix, nothing has changed. Even though Annie has a darkened past, Matthew actually likes that a bit more then he should but does not want it to continue moving forward in their relationship. On Friday night after their weekly date night, the power goes out, not only in their house, but the entire city. Thinking that it will come back on in the morning, the couple is shocked to find out that it has not. Needing to get medication for his daughter, Matthew makes his way to the local grocery store only to see that it has turned into survival of the fittest.

Not being able to get the medication that he needs for his daughter, Matthew decides that he will steal it instead. Only wanting to take care of his family, he believes that it is the right thing to do, but when the story gets passed along to his good friend Joe, Matthew is beginning to have second thoughts. As Joe is staying with the couple, he is creating a barrier between Matthew and Annie, even though he only wants to help. Hearing stories about looting all over the city, Joe thinks that it would be a good idea for the family to get a gun to protect themselves while the power is still out. After the house is broken into and the intruder is shot in the middle of the street, Matthew, Annie and Joe decide that it is time to leave the neighborhood and find somewhere safe to stay. But they are not the only ones as they quickly find out that people are willing to kill to get what they want, especially on the road.

This movie only cycles over three days and seeing the madness that takes place with the power off for that short of a time, well damn. It goes to show what could happen if something as basic as electricity is taken out of the equation and how people may react. The Trigger Effect was released in 1996 and we have so many more items that run off of electricity now, I would hate to see what the reaction is today. As most people are losing their minds in this movie and going back to their primal instincts of survival, there are still a few out there that are willing to help in someone’s time of need. At least all humanity is not lost, but even if someone appears to mean well, they may have an alternative motive that you will not find out until it is too late. Happy Viewing.

---