Brilliant electronics genius Dr. Charles Forbin (a strong and charismatic performance by Eric Braeden) creates Colossus, a powerful and super-intelligent computer that's devised to regulate America's defense systems. Colossus instead gets in touch with its equally potent Russian counterpart Guardian. The two computers plot to take over the world. It's up to Forbin and his crack team of scientists to concoct a way of stopping Colossus before it's too late. Joseph Sargent's able direction, working from a smart and provocative script by James Bridges, not only wrings plenty of tension from the arresting premise, but also relates said story in a taut, involving and above all convincing manner. The superb acting from a top-drawer cast constitutes as another substantial plus: Susan Clark as Forbin's loyal assistant, Gordon Pinsent as the amiable president of the United States, William Schallert as a CIA director, Dolph Sweet as an army colonel, and George Stanford Brown, Robert Cornthwaite and James Hong as computer experts. The late, great Paul Frees supplies the creepy, droning, tinny voice of Colossus. Gene Polito's sharp, agile cinematography, Michel Colombier's rousing, rattling score, Albert Whitlock's terrific special effects, and a chillingly downbeat ending are all up to speed as well. Back in the early 70's this film was quite ahead of its time. Today it remains a still timely, pertinent and even frightfully plausible cautionary tale about the perils of artificial intelligence run amok.