Director – Lamont Johnson (The Last American Hero, Unnatural Causes)
Starring – Peter Strauss (Biker Mice from Mars, Godzilla: The Series), Molly Ringwald (Office Killer, The Breakfast Club), and Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters, The Crow)
Release Date – 1983
Rating – 3/5
Blu Release – 2.5/5
I was born in 1986 which put me growing up in the 90s. I am truly a product of my youth. I grew up on SNES and SEGA Genesis, I watched Are You Afraid of the Dark, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, and anything else you could find on Nickelodeon, and I was part of the trends. With that being said, I loved 80s movies. I never really got into 80s television shows with the exception ofThe Transformers, Masters of the Universe, and Thundercats but the movies always pulled me in. I could literally watch anything from the 80s. I don’t care if it was a court room drama, a romantic comedy, or a documentary on how to make toothpaste. If it’s from the 80s I’ll watch it.
The 80s was no stranger to sci-fi space operas in the wake of Star Wars. I’ve seen at least of 100 of them in my short life and I know there are so many more. One I had never seen was Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone. This 1983 film was recently released on blu by Mill Creek Entertainment who was kind enough to send a review copy my way. Thanks guys!
**Spoiler Alert**The film begins with a spacecraft explodes sending three women in a emergency pod to crash land on a planet ruled by an evil man named Overdog (Michael Ironside). When the company behind the spacecraft learn of the disaster they issue a proclamation that if anyone can return the women to them they will receive a bounty. Wolff (Strauss) hears of this and ventures out the planet where he encounters dangerous scavengers, Overgdog’s goons, and an old friend.**Spoiler Alert**
I had always heard Spacehunterwas a movie most would call “so bad it’s good.” I can see why people would think its bad but I honestly enjoyed it. The film had plenty of room for improvement but the final version of the film is still very enjoyment and not one I would consider so bad its good. A guilty pleasure maybe but not bad.
The acting in this one is hit or miss with me. I like Peter Strauss as the clichéd hero. He is egotistical and self-centered but does the right thing when he has to which is obviously inspired by Han Solo. I like Ernie Hudson as well. His character doesn’t really stand out but it fits in the film perfectly. My favorite performance came from Michael Ironside who takes on the role of Overdog. Sadly, his character was not in the film that long. I was a little disappointed with Molly Ringwald’s performance. I felt like she was just yelling most of the time with no attempt at creating a character.
The story for this one is very generic especially by 1983. A space mission to retrieve someone lost in hostile territory is not something new to cinema and especially space. I did like the characters and the Mad Max type atmosphere. In fact, I think the film would have been more effective if it was a post-apocalyptic wasteland type film instead of set in space.
Finally, this one is not bloody, and honestly, not that violent either. We get a little action and awesome set design but the visual effects are shit. They are dated and look ridiculous. Overall, Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone is a cheesy sci-fi film that I fully recommend. If you like 80s cinema and campy sci-fi flicks then toss this one in. It will entertain.
Special Features:
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