Shea is capably played by Bruce Greenwood, who cautions the military and feds to have some patience as more is learned about the baddie, Khalid Jarrah (Arnold Vosloo). The exchanges between Greenwood and Vosloo carry a perfect menacing note, and the script by brothers Paul and Larry Barber doles out enough information that the audience won't feel betrayed by the twist ending.
Ann Donahue, Daily Variety 6/4/04
Bruce Greenwood ("Thirteen Days") takes the lead role of FBI agent Tom Shea, who's had plenty of experience in Middle Eastern conflict...Greenwood's character, who handles the role with cool competence, rightly questions the federal officials who want to rush right in .....
Michael Farkash, Hollywood Reporter 6/4/04
Bruce Greenwood ("St. Elsewhere," "Nowhere Man") and Leslie Hope ("24") star in this reasonably well-made thriller, whose second-hour twist is more likely to raise your eyebrows than the hairs on the back of your neck.
Joanne Weintraub,
Milwaukee Journal
FBI Special Agent Tom Shea (Bruce Greenwood) leads the government response -- and guess what, he has a history with this sort of thing.
David Hinckley, NY Daily News 6/4/04
Bruce Greenwood ("Thirteen Days") takes the lead role of FBI agent Tom Shea, who's had plenty of experience with conflict in the Middle East. He's called in to deal with the takeover of a California nuclear power plant by a small group of terrorists who skydive onto the facility grounds.
Greenwood handles his role with cool competence; his character questions the federal officials who want to rush right in and neutralize the terrorists. Tom urges caution, given that the terrorists are working from a "different play book" than the usual Al Qaeda operation.
But the hidebound officials refuse to listen, which leads to even more danger.
It's actually an above average thriller with a big twist.....If there were less dialogue and character detail, "Meltdown" would be more unnerving than it is. I was personally grateful to writers Paul and Larry Barber for having the director of Homeland Security remind us that Tom Shea (Bruce Greenwood), the ranking FBI agent at the scene, "punched out the undersecretary in Yemen." Ah, yes, the old impetuous-hero bit. Cliches of that sort keep "Meltdown" firmly grounded in unreality.
Noel Holston, Newsday 6/3/04
