Susan Granger’s review of “Counterstrike” (TBS made-for-TV movie: Sunday, March 2)
“Global zero is a dangerous lie. The only way to protect ourselves from China’s nuclear threat is to destroy that threat,” declares a Taiwan “freedom fighter” who hijacks the luxury liner Queen Elizabeth II in the midst of a pivotal world summit between the United States and China. That’s the crux of this political thriller, adapted by J.B. White from Richard Henrick’s novel “Attack on the Queen.” Two estranged brothers from a competitive military family battle the dissidents, along with their own inner demons, during this international crisis. Joe Estes (“Providence”) is Thomas Kellogg, an adventurous, adrenaline-addicted ATF agent, while Joe Lando (“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”) is Vince Kellogg, a by-the-books Secret Service agent assigned to protect the President of the United States (Carmen Duncan, who plays Iris Wheeler on the daytime drama “Another World”). At their side as the QE II’s head-of-security is Rachel Blakely (“The Lost World”), whose character does most of the hand-to-hand martial arts fighting with the terrorist leader (Marie Matiko of “Xena: Warrior Princess”). Although it’s directed with formulaic predictability by Jerry London, “Counterstrike” offers an intriguingly provocative premise during this time of high-security precautions – and it’s daring in terms of having three strong, independent female characters. On the Granger Made-for-TV Movie Gauge, “Counterstrike” is a fast-paced, action-packed, suspenseful 6. It premieres on TBS Superstation on Sunday, March 2, at 8 p.m. with encores scheduled on March 7, 8, 9, 12 and 14.
