''Chameleon'' is a 1998
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...
action film television movie
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
, written by Bennett Cohen and directed by
Stuart Cooper
Stuart W. Cooper (born 1942) is an American filmmaker, actor and writer.
Career
Cooper was a resident in the United Kingdom in the 1960s and 1970s where his most notable film appearance was as one of ''The Dirty Dozen'', Roscoe Lever, in 1967. ...
. This is the first film of a trilogy and was followed by ''
Chameleon II: Death Match'' and ''
Chameleon 3: Dark Angel''. ''Chameleon'' was originally aired on October 22, 1998 on
UPN
The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that launched on January 16, 1995. It was originally owned by Chris-Craft Industries' United Television. Viacom (through its Paramount Television unit, which pr ...
.
Plot
Kam (Bobbie Phillips) is a genetic creation, made to be a super killer. She, however, discovers her maternal instincts while trying to protect a child from government.
Cast
*
Bobbie Phillips
Bobbie Phillips (born January 29, 1968) is an American actress.
Career
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Phillips moved to Hollywood in 1990 and began working in television soon after. Her first acting job was guest-starring with Halle Berr ...
as Kam
*
Eric Lloyd
Eric Lloyd (born David Eric Lloyd Morelli; May 19, 1986) is an American actor, musician, and producer. Lloyd is best known for work as a child actor in such roles as Charlie Calvin in Disney's ''The Santa Clause'' film trilogy and the follow-up ...
as Ghen, Aede's Son
*
John Adam as Quinn, Former IBI Agent
*
Jerome Ehlers
Jerome Ehlers (20 December 1958 – 9 August 2014) was an Australian actor and writer. He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1987.
Ehlers died in Sydney on 9 August 2014, after a ten-month battle with cancer.
F ...
as 'Maddy' Madison
*
Nicholas Bell
Nicholas Bell (born 15 August 1958) is an English actor who has worked in Australia for more than 20 years. He works regularly with the Melbourne Theatre Company as well as with all the major television broadcasters in Australia, most notably th ...
as Mozser, Cam's Controller
Reception
Jim McLennan from "Girls with Guns" wrote: "The action here seems restrained; a little gunplay and some minor martial arts, but nothing particularly memorable. The sexual scenes make the made-for-TV origins painfully clear, with sheets that appear to be velcro'd to Phillips’ breasts, when she doesn't have her elbows elegantly positioned in front of them. Still, there's enough here in the central character to make me want to see more...and lo, what's this coming along?" Charles Tatum from "Tatum Reviews Archive" gave the film two out of five stars and wrote: "The story has been done to death, and the film makers cannot decide which audience they want to go for- switching sex scenes with cutesy scenes between the killer cyborg and the adorable kid that are lifted right out of ''Terminator 2''. Space Maggot applauds Phillips, and shoots a vote of 3".
Nathan Rabin
Nathan Rabin (; born April 24, 1976) is an American film and music critic. Rabin was the first head writer for '' The A.V. Club'', a position he held until he left the ''Onion'' organization in 2013. from
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cr ...
said: "For better or worse, but mainly for worse, ''Chameleon'' pounces upon virtually every futuristic-android cliché known to humanity. But what's even more damaging than the film's lack of originality is its moribund pace, which robs it of what little energy it possesses. Even as leering masturbation fodder, Chameleon is a dud, as Cooper's main contribution as a director seems to be his incredible ability to film sex scenes in a way that titillates no one and covers more flesh than a convent in Alaska". Robert Pardi from
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program TV listings, listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news.
The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine, TV Guide Mag ...
, gave the film two out four stars.
Chameleon was nominated for two awards. One "OFTA Television Award" for "Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Motion Picture or Miniseries"
and one
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award (originally known as the Youth in Film Award) is an accolade presented by the Young Artist Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young ...
for "
Best Performance in a TV Movie/Pilot/Mini-Series or Series - Supporting Young Actor" for
Eric Lloyd
Eric Lloyd (born David Eric Lloyd Morelli; May 19, 1986) is an American actor, musician, and producer. Lloyd is best known for work as a child actor in such roles as Charlie Calvin in Disney's ''The Santa Clause'' film trilogy and the follow-up ...
.
See also
*
List of television films produced for UPN
References
External links
*
1998 television films
1998 films
1998 action films
1998 science fiction films
1990s American films
1990s English-language films
1990s science fiction action films
Action television films
American science fiction action films
American science fiction television films
Television pilots not picked up as a series
UPN original films
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