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source: Moving Target

Moving Target

Makes you wonder why casting agents get paid. They should have recast after the first dailies were shown.

This film originally aired on NBC in February, 1988. It is notable for being Jack Wagner's first telefilm. He had recently left General Hospital and soap stardom and was coming off a national tour of "West Side Story" when he did this film. In it, he plays against type and is the villain hit-man. This was a refreshing change since he had found stardom as the hero/good guy Frisco Jones on daytime television. A very well-done made for TV movie that is also notable for being one of Chynna Phillips' early roles as she stars as Jason Bateman's character's girlfriend in the film. They don't show this on TV very often - if at all - but it is worth seeking out to see many of it's stars when they were young and just getting started.

For a made for TV 80's movie I thought it was very good. Jason Bateman did a very good job. It' s interesting to see him at a young age prior to his career being rejuvenated. Jack Wagner was awesome playing the Hit-man. Prior to this he was most well known for his days as General Hospital's good guy, Frisco Jones. After leaving for Broadway it was an awesome surprise to see him starring as the villain in this under appreciated movie. I also find it amazing that the girl playing Jason Bateman's girlfriend is Chynna Phillips. It seems it was close to, if not the climax to her acting career. I wouldn't have scored it as high on the big screen but this was one of the best TV movies I've seen. Good enough that I found it on Amazon and am enjoying it 25 years later.

This movie has it all - fast cars, foot chases, girls in bikinis- total guy movie. I give it two thumbs up. I had as much fun watching this movie as working on it! In the "pool party" scene, those are my legs you see walking up the little brick steps. Have been wondering for years if the movie was in circulation, and how I could see it again or buy it.

I liked the 80s vibe here, because I like 80s movies. Don't expect much, but I was impressed with Jason Bateman and he went on to do a lot of stuff. It's your typical teen comes home to find family gone movie, if there is such a genre. Some OK action. Plot is about what you expect from an 80s action movie, turn your brain off or go MST3K on it. But it serves the purpose. Dialog is the weakness here I think, there's no imagination here, no flair. Music is pretty standard 80s synth pop, but hey they actually show the girl playing a Yamaha DX7 synth, one of the most important 80s synthesizers. I would bet that the music in the movie used this same synth as the E Piano sound in one of the songs sounds like the DX& e piano.

Released to TV in 1988, "Moving Target" is a mystery/thriller about a teenager (Jason Bateman) who unexpectedly comes home to California from music camp in Michigan only to find his parents' home deserted, including all the furniture. What happened? Chynna Phillips plays the maybe-girlfriend and the always-reliable Tom Skerritt co-stars as the father. Being a TV movie, there are obvious breaks for commercials but, other than that, this is a solid drama/thriller, particularly if you like the cast. Everything about the movie screams mid-80 – the electronic drums, the haircuts, the clothes. This in itself is entertaining. Anyway, it's nothing great, but it works for what it is. The film runs 100 minutes and was shot in S. California. GRADE: B

I'm watching a marathon of Jason Bateman movies and I was really pleased with this one. For a made for TV movie, this is one in a million. The plot is concise, the actors are all talented and the movie as a whole really keeps your attention throughout. I really felt the sadness and confusion that Toby's going through over his missing family. I liked the whole "not knowing who to trust" point of view AND there's actually a lot of really good action in this movie. There's car chases, people jumping from buildings, scary hit men. And it seemed like Jason was doing all his own stunts, which were many. Pros: 80's cuties Action Drama Mystery Cons: Actress who plays Mrs. Kellogg seems half asleep. Movie drags on a bit in the middle before getting to the point. I gave it a 9/10 because it highly exceeded my expectations and I got to stare at 18 y.o. Jason Bateman for 90 minutes :)