virus be a earnest attempt to chronicle an apocalypse and perhaps for cautionary as well a artistic and financial intention . unfortunately and the producer make many mistake which seriously undercut their effort . the result be a boring and sometimes tedious 2 ½ hour movie about a very important subject and i. e. and gene splicing and the possible consequence of misuse a a biological weapon . this be doubly a shame and a virus be especially timely and come at the beginning of the aid epidemic . although the fictional virus function in a slightly different manner and have aid be an airborne and highly infectious agent and the disastrous consequence could have be exactly the same . the first serious mistake be the use of flashback at the beginning of the film . give that there be very little action in virus and the use of flashback undercut any element of suspense and at least during the first hour . the second serious mistake be place the disaster so near in the future ( 1982 83 ) . have the movie be a hit and it would barely have be out of the theater before it be out of date . the third serious mistake be cast actor well know for action film . cast actor such a chuck connors and bo swenson and sonny chiba and henry silva create anticipation for action which rarely happen . glenn ford and robert vaughn and and to a less extent and george kennedy be effective in their small and but pivotal role . however and all three of these star be a associate with drama a with action film . the beautiful olivia hussey be decorative and but too matter of fact for a character who be trouble and conflict . however and it be a special treat see a very young edward james olmos while he be effective in his few scene . just do not ask him to sing . the fourth serious mistake be not hire a skilled second unit director verse in english . many of the english speaking actor overact while and and when there be this much overacting and it the fault of the director . give the sensitive manner of the scene in which the actor speak japanese and i be guess the director be not well verse in english . the fifth serious mistake be the phony look oval office set . since much of the drama take place in the oval office and great pain should have be take to create a more realistic atmosphere . warn represent spoilerthe sixth serious mistake involve the ar . anyone even remotely familiar with u defense would know silva would not be able to activate the ar alone . u fail safe system always require two individual and an activation code . this would have be a very simple fix and and the mistake be compound by allow silva to cackle like a villain in a bad melodrama . if the first two hour of virus be simply boring and the last 30 minute be downright tedious and despite a whole 7 minute of mild action and the first since the first half hour . when a film this dull run over two hour and all the early irritant become even more noticeable . everything from the sappy music to chuck connors terrible british accent and bo svenson buford pusser haircut bring great irritation . bad and the last 30 minute be laughably absurd and ask u to believe an above top secret weapon control center can be breach as easily a an office building . such a command center would have it own air supply and decontamination center and make it as safe a connors nuclear submarine . by the way and hasn not anyone ever heard of hazmat suit . after all and this movie be make nearly ten year after the andromeda strain . however and the most laughably absurd element be expect u to believe the japanese scientist could escape on foot from ground zero of an all out nuclear war and find and several thousand mile later and a colony of two dozen or so people and when he hasn not a clue where they be go to settle . end of spoilerkeep in mind and the dreadful virus cost nearly as much a the empire strike back and and all the producer have to show for the effort be some beautiful photography . virus be just one more piece of evidence than good intention do not necessarily make good movie . i give virus a 3 .