What makes it different from others?

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

A Brilliant Conflict

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

"A California deputy sheriff sets up a roadblock on a mountain highway leading to a city. He begins to stop motorists to inform them of some terrible news; a missile containing an atomic bomb is headed towards the city. The motorists and the deputy struggle with deciding on either finding shelter inside the back of a truck, for possible survival, or whether to go to the mountaintop to face the impending doom," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.An interesting lower budget doomsday feature, "This Is Not a Test" suffers through flawed, uninteresting characterizations. Moreover, subtleties and symbolism are too far buried in the mix to matter. There is barely a hint that "good" characters "Peter" and "June" could form an "Adam" and "Eve", should the film's promise be fulfilled. The "Discount World" truck, and the other means of transportation may, or may not, mean anything in particular.The more interesting characters' psychoses are underdeveloped: dictatorial cop Seamon Glass (as Dan Colter) really needed some back-story; and alleged rapist/murderer Ron Starr (as Clint)'s back-story is completely wasted. Probably, Mr. Starr's character was falsely accused; and, the script makes no use of the possibility something interesting is being transported in his suitcase. Don't miss Starr's "chicken truck" meltdown scene, if you watch; he makes "Clint" the best role in the movie.

To understand the importance of this film, and one or two others like it, please remember that at the time this film was made, the US government was still insisting that a simple wooden board could save one from the deadly effects of a nuclear blast. I still remember the drills in grammar school - in 1962 (2 years after this film was made), the drill was to duck under our desks. A year later, it was finally admitted that maybe a concrete wall would be needed, so we were filed out into the hall and sat on the floor with our arms over our heads - the placement of the arms were to weaken the effects of fall-out.This is not a great, or even good, film. It's cheap, it's underdirected, underacted, underlit, underdesigned in every way. And of course there's the unnecessary dash of pure exploitation - drunkenness, lust, bad attitude. And the cop is a hoot by any standards, although let us admit the courage of the writer to make him a complete fool as far as the A-Bomb and his untrustworthy government are concerned.But that, after all, is the real importance of the film. Only four years later, Barry Goldwater ran on the promise that he wouldn't hesitate to use the A-bomb - in Vietnam, Cuba, what the hell, Alabama, if the Civil Rights movement got violent."Nuke 'em, nuke 'em," we still hear the chant, from irresponsible lard-heads who have not the slightest idea how even one or two badly placed bombs would destroy their lives forever - presuming they survived.So, surprisingly - a historically important film, worth a glance.

The film is garbage with a capital G. The entire cast COMBINED has less than a rookie "American Idol" contestant, the dialog would embarrass Ed Wood, the ending is too abrupt, the special effects are anything but, the soundtrack isn't worth the 8-track tape it was apparently recorded on, the storyline is harder to comprehend than a nuclear physics course, and don't even get me started on the direction-- or should I say lack thereof. Why the cast didn't file a class-action suit against the director for wrecking their careers with this cinematic Chernobyl is a mystery for greater minds than ours to ponder...I just know that I didn't like this movie. Compared to films like "The Day After", "Dr. Strangelove", or even "Defcon IV", "This Is Not A Test" is a perfect example of how NOT to handle the topic of nuclear war on the silver screen.

This is a fine example of a very well executed low or no budget movie. The topic: the end of the world. A cross section of society is stopped at a roadblock by the psycho sheriff from hell waiting for doom, i.e. nuclear missiles. The drama is set in real time so we basically witness the last 72 minutes of the world and the drama that unfolds between the people waiting or trying to find a way to survive. There are no shock effects, just emotions, drama and melodrama. However, the drama is gripping and very well written. It is amazing that a film that's set at a cross roads somewhere in the middle of nowhere with no special effects whatsoever can make such compelling viewing.