Name of UPN Sci-Fi (Thurday) Movie?

[Kester Pelagius]

If you remember way back when there used to be a UPN, before it became the wrestling gutter, I need your help.  The movie I am looking for the title of aired, I believe, during the UPN Thursday Sci-Fi Movie slot in the late 90s.  This slot was filled primarily buy movies that were failed TV series pilots like WARLORD BATTLE FOR THE GALAXY and STAR COMMAND.  The movie I am looking for the title of was a post-apocalypse flick that, best as I recall, was about a future world ravaged by a genetic plague.

I don't recall the nature of the plague but I think it may have caused genetic de-evolution because there was a team that went out to explore and one of them looked like a Neanderthal.  And that brings us to the key plot point about this movie, as I remember it.  The main characters, who lived in a domed city that may have been called "freedom city" (I am not sure of that) all had color coded gems imbedded in their hands.  Sadly the Neanderthal character had a black gem.  This was the ONLY black gem in the entire city.

As these gems indicated genetic compatibility that stuck in my mind.  Here's a character who's forbidden from procreating, by law, and he's also the most aggressive member of the team of characters.  Not very subtle.  So, to recap, the main character of the movie had color coded gems imbedded in their hand.  Only people with the same color coded gem were allowed, by law, to procreate with each other.

I do not remember who any of the actors were but the guy playing the Neanderthal may have been a Don Swayze look alike.

Does this ring any bells with anyone?

[Andrew]

This sounds like "Island City."

[Kester Pelagius]

That was it.

And now I know why my Google searches never turned up anything, "freedom" wasn't in the title  (or the name of the city) and it wasn't a UPN movie!  In fact it aired on PTEN, which was sort of their rival.  Ah, PTEN, the network that almost was but wasn't.  They brought us Babylon 5, Time Trax, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, and. . ???

I have the name of the movie that's been bugging me for a while now and that's what's important.

Thanks Andrew!