Thriller,Science Fiction
United States of America
The Manhattan Project is a 1986 science fiction thriller film directed by Marshall Brickman. The film stars John Lithgow as a physicist father who unwittingly helps his teenage son Paul (played by Christopher Collet) build a nuclear bomb for a science fair project. Along the way, Paul befriends a local girl named Jenny (played by Cynthia Nixon) who becomes unwillingly involved in his dangerous scheme.
As Paul and Jenny work on the bomb in secret, they attract the attention of government agents who suspect the project is part of a larger conspiracy. Meanwhile, Paul's father begins to realize the gravity of the situation and tries to stop his son from completing the bomb.
The film's title refers to the real-life Manhattan Project, a government-led research program that produced the first atomic bombs during World War II. The film was made during a time when Cold War tensions were still high and nuclear weapons remained a major political concern.
Critics praised the actors' performances and the film's tense atmosphere, but some criticized its portrayal of science and the way it minimized the dangers of nuclear weapons. Despite mixed reviews, The Manhattan Project has become a cult classic and is considered a notable entry in the science fiction thriller genre.
