Everyone remembers that eighties sci-fi classic 'Back to the
Future,' because - let's face it - it's awesome. It deserves it's spot in pop culture. Yet many people don't seem to hold that other
eighties sci-fi popcorn flick 'Innerspace' in such quite high regards. And that's a shame... in my humble opinion,
because it really is quite good fun.
In these days of 'shared universes' (thanks, Marvel!) I find
myself seeing films that look like they could belong in the same 'universe' as
others (like 'Universal Soldier' and 'Terminator 2' - again, just my
opinion). And, after my most recent
re-watch of 'Innerspace' I couldn't help but thinking how much it would fit
alongside that time-travelling DeLorean and uber-cool hoverboard.
It's about a test piolt (Dennis Quaid) who gets miniaturised
inside a pod during a lab experiment and then (inadvertantly) injected into
some random guy's backside (Martin Short).
The two of them form an unlikely bond as they try to reverse the effects
before Quaid runs out of oxygen (or the baddies get hold of them!).
Now, it's fair to say that 'Innerspace' didn't set the Box
Office as on fire as its producers would have liked. I don't think it bombed, but the film-makers
were hoping for something akin to 'Back to the Future' in terms of
success-levels. However, there's just
something so fun about it that it deserves to be remembered, especially during
this period of eighties nostalgia.
It's first strength is that it never slows down. It's perfectly edited so that you get almost
straight into the action and learn to love the characters without any need for
lengthy exposition or backstory. And the
action flows thick and fast. There's one
chase scene that reminded me of 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal
Skull.' In 'Indy 4' they had to rely on awful computer graphics whereas
'Innerspace' managed it with stunts.
Another thing that's worth mentioning is how when there's no
action, there's humour. And this is down
to the rapport between the actors.
Everyone plays their part well.
And, possibly the most important thing about 'Innerspace' is that it's a
film that the whole family can enjoy.
There's no need for violence or bad language. It acomplishes everything it needs to without
any over-the-topness.
If you saw this back in the day, give it another go. Or if you're just looking for something to
entertain the kids on a wet weekend, this should be enjoyed by all (even if
you're not part of this current eighties revival!).
8/10 The Force is definitely strong with this one
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