My review was written in September 1984 after watching the film on Showtime.
Nico Mastorakis' "The Next One" is a competently made but thoroughly unconvincing sci-fi romance. Filmed on Mykonos Island in Greece in the spring of 1981, pic was obviously aimed at theatrical release (replete with Dolby stereo) but failed to attract a U. S. distrib, debuting instead via pay-cable telecast.
The problem here is in the absurd premise and its illogical development, A well-cast Keir Dullea is washed ashore on a Greek island, nursed back to health by Adrienne Barbeau, a widowed mother with young son Jeremy Licht. He seems to be suffering amnesia, but numerous insistent hints and visits to local churches payoff predictably in Dullea being a time traveller from the future, whose cloned brother went back 2,000 years further to be taken as Jesus Christ (forget the lack of logic in that these travelers are full-grown, not children).
Basic story unfolds in the manner of "The Outer Limits" tv series of 20 years ago: balancing the fantasy gimmick and liberal thematic message with a romantic subplot, namely that of Barbeau's (unfortunately for voyeurs and her fans) G-rated level sexual encounter with the mysterious stranger Dullea. Lack of drama is a problem, until the arbitrary Greek locale comes into play when primitive islanders get mad at Dullea following his miraculous healing incident and then a fatal drowning accident killing off several children.
Storyline builds to Dullea's inevitable leavetaking, i.e., self-destruction, but not content with the"There will be a next" tagline, Mastolrakis tacks on an absurd happy ending with another Dullea clone arriving on the same Greek beach in the same time period.
Touristy mykonos Island visuals are okay, as is the English-language direct-sound dialog. Presence of only token special visual effects is a real handicap for the film's acceptance by sci-fi fans.
Nico Mastorakis' "The Next One" is a competently made but thoroughly unconvincing sci-fi romance. Filmed on Mykonos Island in Greece in the spring of 1981, pic was obviously aimed at theatrical release (replete with Dolby stereo) but failed to attract a U. S. distrib, debuting instead via pay-cable telecast.
The problem here is in the absurd premise and its illogical development, A well-cast Keir Dullea is washed ashore on a Greek island, nursed back to health by Adrienne Barbeau, a widowed mother with young son Jeremy Licht. He seems to be suffering amnesia, but numerous insistent hints and visits to local churches payoff predictably in Dullea being a time traveller from the future, whose cloned brother went back 2,000 years further to be taken as Jesus Christ (forget the lack of logic in that these travelers are full-grown, not children).
Basic story unfolds in the manner of "The Outer Limits" tv series of 20 years ago: balancing the fantasy gimmick and liberal thematic message with a romantic subplot, namely that of Barbeau's (unfortunately for voyeurs and her fans) G-rated level sexual encounter with the mysterious stranger Dullea. Lack of drama is a problem, until the arbitrary Greek locale comes into play when primitive islanders get mad at Dullea following his miraculous healing incident and then a fatal drowning accident killing off several children.
Storyline builds to Dullea's inevitable leavetaking, i.e., self-destruction, but not content with the"There will be a next" tagline, Mastolrakis tacks on an absurd happy ending with another Dullea clone arriving on the same Greek beach in the same time period.
Touristy mykonos Island visuals are okay, as is the English-language direct-sound dialog. Presence of only token special visual effects is a real handicap for the film's acceptance by sci-fi fans.