In 1943, the US Navy conducted a series of invisibility tests. David Herdeg (Michael Paré) and Jim Parker are sailors on the destroyer USS Eldridge being tested in the Philadelphia Harbor conducted by Dr. James Longstreet. The ship disappears but not just on radar. The two sailors jump ship and get thrown into 1984 Nevada. They get chased by a helicopter but escape. It's an alien world to them. Longstreet had conducted another experiment but this time an entire town disappeared. The guys walk to a gas station diner and end up carjacking Allison Hayes (Nancy Allen).It's a fine sci-fi idea based on the persistent conspiracy theory. It has great bones for a cool movie. There are some silly bits and weaker parts. Stewart Raffill is not the best director around but he does a competent job in this one. The movie doesn't really have any snap to it. Michael Paré and Nancy Allen are solid leading actors during the 80's but they're not the most compelling couple. The movie doesn't take full advantage and build on a compelling start.

OK this movie was kind of roller coaster for me. During the opening scenes when you could tell that the leads didn't think it was necessary to get period haircuts, I began to have my doubts. Things began to pick up though when the convoy was crossing the big bridge. This is the old Cooper River Bridge (Silas Pearman Bridge) in Charleston SC. I recognized it immediately and when they panned to Patriots Point. (A museum where the Laffey, the ship used for the Eldridge, was docked) I was hooked for a few seconds anyway. This bridge has been torn down and replaced in the last few years. It was during this scene that the continuity errors began to creep in. The vehicles used for the convoy were 1980's vintage military trucks and jeeps, likely borrowed by the SC National Guard. The jeeps were really out of place since the M 151's used in the convoy over the bridge was a Vietnam era jeep that was in production until 1982. The trucks were just as bad. This was compounded when they used the same type vehicles for present day scene in Nevada. Period correct vehicles would have set the scene apart and in 1984, WW II era vehicles in South Carolina would not have been that hard to find. The aircraft carrier used for some of the background is the Yorktown. If you look closely in some of the scenes you can see some of the jet planes that are displayed on the flight deck, clearly out of place in a WW II movie. Another thing out of place is the NS Savannah which was the first nuclear merchant ship built in the 1950's It was on display at the museum at this time and is in some of the scene and it looks very modern docked with the WWII vets. Another scene I found annoying was when they were driving and would do a close up on one of the sailor in the mirror and it was obvious the car wasn't moving. This movie reminded me of the Final Countdown made for television. The Countdowns special effects were much better although they will not serve as benchmark for anything, so that's really not saying much. I could see this as a feature on MSTK 3000.

Michael Pare plays David Herdeg, a sailor on the U.S.S. Naval destroyer Eldridge in the year 1943 which is involved with a top secret invisibility experiment in Philadelphia that goes wrong, with the unexpected result of sending him and another sailor forward in time 41 years, where they find themselves shocked by the technological and cultural differences that exist. After a visit to a diner doesn't go well, they find themselves on the run with the help of a young woman(played by Nancy Allen). Government forces catch up with them, and after the other sailor is spontaneously transferred back to the Eldridge, David is enlisted to undertake a dangerous mission to be sent back in time there as well, in order to stop the experiment that is still continuing on its own, causing havoc...Good-natured film has appealing performances and an interesting storyline, though is hurt by becoming a standard chase picture for some of its length. Still, much imagination on display here anyway, and a most satisfying ending make it worthwhile.

The Philadelphia Experiment (1984) ** 1/2 (out of 4)Nice bit of sci-fi and romance about two WWII sailors (Michael Pare, Bobby DiCicco) who take part in an experiment that will put an invisible shield around ships that will allow them not to be spotted by enemy ships. The experiment ends up going wrong and the two men find themselves in 1984 not knowing what went wrong but they meet a woman (Nancy Allen) who tries to help them. THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT is a pretty interesting little film that sadly just doesn't have the budget or performances to really work as well as it possibly could have. THE FINAL COUNTDOWN is a film that dealt with a few similar ideas and I think overall that film is much, much better but this one here still has enough going for it to make it worth viewing. I think the most interesting aspects deal with the sailor trying to come to terms with the fact that he's in an unknown place and soon he realizes that everything and everyone he knew is now gone. I thought the scenes with him trying to find someone from his past were the most interesting and made for some nice drama. The sci-fi elements are also pretty good as the mystery to what happened is something that keeps you glued to the film even when the special effects are making you want to gag. I understand this was a low-budget film but the effects here are beyond bad no matter when they were made. I found the performances to be mixed as well. I thought Pare didn't bring enough to the part and there were times that he came across pretty bad including a scene in a hotel where he breaks down. DiCicco is fairly good in his part and Allen is dependable as she always is. THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT has plenty of interesting ideas but one really wishes that the producers were given a bit more money to do something with it.