Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Really Surprised!

Instant Favorite.

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Dung-colored science-fiction (originally released in 3D), set in the bleak 22nd century, concerns three female survivors of a destroyed space cruiseliner overtaken by hostile natives after landing on the barren planet Terra XI (whose inhabitants drive what appears to be a cross between a pirate ship and a tank); scruffy, randy salvage operator Peter Strauss and android engineer Andrea Marcovicci attempt a rescue. Threadbare "Road Warrior" wannabe with a brash personality, unintelligible dialogue, messy action and variable performances. Molly Ringwald (pre-"Sixteen Candles") plays a nomad (or "Scav") who hitches a ride with Strauss to act as his tracker in The Zone, which is ruled by Michael Ironside's menacing Overdog; she's teenage-mouthy and prone to screaming, but hasn't been given anything witty or clever to say. Strauss and Marcovicci have some nice, easy chemistry in the early scenes, but that promise is cut short. Lamont Johnson directed, Ivan Reitman produced, but the talented players behind the cameras are as wasted as those in front of them. * from ****

As cheap STAR WARS rip-offs go, this isn't bad at all, and at least manages to be consistently entertaining trash. Full of typical '80s special effects (running the gamut from poor rubber suits to poor computer effects), wooden acting, and a light plot which is basically an excuse for a series of action sequences, and you have the making of a good, if cheesy, time. As an added bonus, the film was made at the peak of the 3D craze and was, thus, filmed in 3D, so expect lots of blocky titles flying out of the screen and objects flying at the camera at every moment.The two stars of the show are a wooden Peter Strauss and an irritating Molly Ringwald, who share lots of light banter. Same old story...the pair initially hate each other but eventually grow to love one another. Like we haven't heard that one before. Strauss' character is a blatant copy of Han Solo, right down to the same cocky manner and clothing. Ringwald plays some kind of desert urchin who hooks up with Strauss as a guide and manages to put herself in all sorts of danger.The location shooting is nice, offering up a realistic-looking alien planet, although sadly the inhabitants are less than convincing. Things kick off with Strauss riding around in his dune buggy (did I mentioned MAD MAX as another influence?) then discovering a Viking longship flying down a railway line (?!). A laser fight immediately ensues, the first of a couple in the film, which are really quite impressive. Some poor extra gets it ("we have blood loss here...") and Strauss loses his female helper, who turns out to be an icky android who melts at the touch of a button.From then on, it's one thing after another, with Strauss pairing up with Ringwald and together meeting all kinds of monsters and strange characters. An incredibly young, bald Ernie Hudson wanders around in a space suit and drives a shoddy-looking bulldozer which belches black smoke into the planet's atmosphere (can't be doing much for their ozone layer). A group of amphibious Amazons (!) wander around in little clothing and try to capture our heroes in giant nets - and fail. A patently plastic-looking dragon (not so much a dragon as a cardboard head on a wooden pole) puts our befuddled hero into yet another dangerous situation, while some obese rubber-suited people provide lots of mirth. In another unexplained incident, mutant children lob Molotov cocktails at our heroes from the top of a cliff.After these amusing incidents, our characters eventually arrive at Overdog's castle. Overdog is a menacing (ridiculous name aside) character, a cyborg with a human face and gigantic pincer arms. He's played by genre staple Michael Ironside, although you wouldn't recognise him under all that makeup. He's devised a tricky maze where unwilling contestants must face dangers like pools of acid, fire, pits of spikes, and giant swinging circular saw blades while being pursued by a giant steamroller. Inevitably, Ringwald finds herself in the maze and is luckily able to conquer it before being captured by Overdog, who has a thing for women you see. At the end, action man Strauss saves the day by electrocuting the baddie and shooting lots of things/people. The entire place explodes in a huge display of pyrotechnics which was also a convenient way to use up any of the budget that may have been left over.So, as adventure films go, this isn't bad at all. That is, as long as you know what to expect - fans of decent, high budget fare may think otherwise. For me, a film with plentiful action, a sprinkling of violence, and all manner of weird costumes and effects definitely passes the time in an entertaining way.

This is another under the radar gem and it's another film from my childhood which to me has held up. When I was a kid I was a big fan of "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" so I'm kinda a sucker for pulp sci-fi. Yeah this film is a B grade space opera that's not up there with "Guardians of the Galaxy" and TV show "Firefly" but it's not trying to be, it's just trying to be one thing plain fun and I feel it does it's job in that.I really like the production value, it's all practical effects. I really like the designs of the vehicles and the post apocalyptic world, and the makeup effects on some of the creatures. Even like the worn down look of the futuristic technology. The action is decent it's well choreographed, like the battle on the train boat, but my favorite is the maze.There are a few things that stand out about this film, from the theme song score by one of my favorite movie composer's Elmer Bernstin. It is just fantastic, it's one of my favorite themes of all time it has an adventurous and epic tone to it.I like that they combined both the space opera and post apocalyptic sci-fi subgeneres which I haven't really seen much except in the TV show "Defiance". But despite a grit and slightly dark atmosphere the whole film doesn't take itself entirely seriously, in fact it's pretty much just a light hearted space romp is all.I like that the forbidden zone has just all different kinds of things that make it both fascinating and dangerous. From water amazons and the sea serpent, nasty blubber creatures, motail throwing mutant midgets. Yeah, it's pretty random but most pulp sci-fi has always been that way and it wouldn't be an adventure if we didn't have these random encounters. And the pacing is good, the film constantly moves, isn't too long so there are no slow points or bull crap filler.This film also has a surprising solid cast.Ernie Hudison is solid as Washington whom is kinda a friend and kinda not since he's also a merc. Michael Ironside one of my favorite actors, I thought was really good as the main villain Overdog. I really like the makeup job on him you hardly recognize him. Overdog sort of reminds me of the "X-Men" villain Mojo since he is immobile except for the robotic that support him and uses entertainment to help retain power. He's nasty, scheming, he's kinda funny he's got a few good lines. I really love that voice Michael uses, it's a shame the actor didn't get to play a Deceptacon for the 80's Transformers animated series; though he got to be in the animate series "Transformers Prime"; on a side note Ernie Hudison also stared in that show too which is kinda ironic.Peter Strauss is very good as Wolf sort of the typical, rugged, tough, down on his luck bounty hunter. One thing I really like about the guy and it's something I can emphasize with is how he doesn't really like or want to do the right thing but he does it because no one else will and deep down he does care and have a small sense of honor.Though the character I really like that is my favorite in the film if you can believe it is Niki whom is played by one of my favorite actresses Moly Ringwold. This was the first film I seen the actress in, it was way before I saw (or old enough to see)the John Hughes movies she was famous for. Seeing her in this now is really surreal and the fact this was her first film makes it even more surreal; but hey we have to start somewhere.Anyway, I just love how her character is just energetic, feisty, a bit of a spitfire as she has some really good lines, and she's a little sympathetic as she is an orphaned teen that doesn't have anyone. It's true as some people pointed out she comes off at first a bit annoying but as the film go on her character gets better and you really do warm up to her.And I really like the buddy dynamic between both Wolf and her. It's just so much fun seeing how both of them help each other but also give each other grief along the way. And to me that part of what keeps the film going for me, two people trying to do their job while at the same time trying not to kill each other.Of coruse the highlight of the film for me is seeing Niki go though the maze which to me is one of my favorite suspenseful sequences of all time. It's pretty much like the Eleminator challenge on the TV show "American Gladiators", where she has to figure out how to safely get from point A to B as each obstacle is practically one death trap after the other. It was just cool seeing her go though this and made me wonder why the heck the actress wasn't considered to do suspense thrillers.The only real problem I have is that this didn't become a franchise. From the title, I thought that we were going to have more volumes since this seemed to be just volume one. I wouldn't of minded seeing both Wolf and Niki go on some other adventures may'be the next one could of been an adventure to the robot planet, attack of the space pirates, I don't know and sadly well never know.Overall it's a solid sci-fi, it's not one of the best sci-fi I've seen in my life but it's worth a space romp.Rating: 3 stars

This is what we had to put up with when we couldn't get proper sci-fi films.To be fair, this tale of all-purpose low budget Han solo-lite space ranger Peter Strauss and profoundly irritating wilful argumentative waif Molly Ringwald has quite a lot going for it, and I'm not counting the 3D because I've never seen it. Admittedly, everything it's got going for it has been nicked from somewhere else. The Star Wars influences don't end with Han Solo - there's the theme music to be going along with, not to mention half the other visuals. Mad Max will be calling to collect the other half, and Lon Chaney Sr would like Michael Ironside to return the Phantom makeup from the silent version of Phantom Of The Opera, please.But it's a rip-roaring swashbuckling tale of derring do - lots of action, lots of explosions, larger than life stock characters, some fun set design, lots of trucks with bits stuck on to make them look suitably alien, lots of desolate looking locations (well, one), and just enough story to hang the rest on.These days it comes across as rather more low budget than it actually was, but it isn't really as bad as you might fear from the IMDb score.