This thoughtful film isn't as well known as 2001: A Space Odyssey or Silent Running but has attracted a deserved cult following amongst sci-fi fans. Like many early-'70s science fiction films, Colossus: The Forbin Project allows its ideas about the impact of technology on humankind to take center stage. Joseph Sargent's crisp direction gives the film the technological sleekness it requires but downplays flashy visual effects in favor of a strict focus on story. This low-key approach is demanding on the viewer but ultimately reaps plentiful rewards for those patient enough to stick with it. When Colossus starts playing hardball with its human creators, the effect is devastating. Colossus: The Forbin Project also benefits from subtle but affecting work by its cast. Eric Braeden's cool, detached interpretation of Forbin is difficult to warm up to initially, but his carefully modulated performance is ultimately haunting as he moves from a cool intellectual to a tormented and angry pawn of his own creation. Susan Clark also adds an important bit of human warmth to the story as the colleague who finds herself falling for Forbin at the most inopportune time. All in all, Colossus: The Forbin Project is a sobering, well-told cautionary tale that is well worth a look to fans of serious science fiction.