You know a film is in trouble if its biggest selling point is that it stars Battlestar Galactica‘s Richard Hatch.
That’s the original Battlestar Galactica, of course.
Okay, okay, we know John Saxon is in there, too, obviously having a great time playing the villain. And what do you know, there’s that girl who appeared in all those TV shows back in the Eighties (although you probably won’t remember that her name is Kay Lenz).
But there really isn’t a lot more on offer here. We have yet another Eighties film which tries to cram science fiction and high fantasy together into one film. I suppose one could argue that both were enjoying a certain amount of box office success at the moment, what with Conan, Star Wars, et al., but somehow I suspect it had more to do with the fact that the people making these sorts of films couldn’t tell the difference.
A scientist creates a device that opens yet another portal to another world. In short order he falls down it, then the girl (TV) reporter who’s there to interview him and a handyman who just happens to be carrying almost every tool on earth in his toolbelt. Okay, he never pulls out a blowtorch, like Batman in that old serial, but it’s close.
At any rate, all the expected things are there, the narrow escapes from death, the evil villain, rescuing the girl, and, of course, the ending where the villain is overthrown by the hero and his ragtag group of friends. Most of it is predictable (although what becomes of the scientist and his final disposition are mildly surprising). It isn’t bad, but it isn’t particularly memorable, either. Basically, this is as solidly “B” a B-movie as one is likely to find.
Just don’t expect more than that and you’ll be fine. Even if you don’t remember much about it later.
Buy or watch on Amazon:
A TO Z REVIEWS
rivets on the poster 