Absolutely brilliant

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

This is an embarrassingly bad movie even by early 80s low budget sci-fi standards. You people are all hopped up on nostalgia. Almost everything about this film is absolutely dire, from the acting, to the effects, to some of the most pathetic futuristic sets you'll ever see this side of junk like 1990: Bronx Warriors. If you enjoy watching garbage like this to have a good ironic laugh, that's one thing, but let's all stop pretending that this is anything other than an embarrassing train wreck. This wouldn't even make it onto a list of top 100 cheesy but fun 80s sci-fi movies. Even Ice Pirates is better than this.

Rugged intergalactic bounty hunter Wolff (a fine and engaging performance by Peter Strauss) ventures into the dangerous forbidden zone in order to rescue three lovely young ladies from the vile clutches of the evil Overdog (robustly played with lip-smacking wicked relish by Michael Ironside). Scrappy teenage orphan Niki (a winningly perky portrayal by Molly Ringwald in her pre-fame Brat Back days) helps Wolff out with his desperate mission.Director Lamont Johnson keeps the entertaining story moving along at a zippy pace, brings a pleasingly straightforward and unpretentious mean'n'lean Grade B sensibility to the familiar, yet still enjoyable and engrossing material, makes nice use of the dingy'n'desolate desert locations, and stages the exciting action set pieces with considerable skill and flair (run-ins with grotesque subhuman blobs and a tribe of Amazonian warrior women rate as the definite thrilling highlights). Strauss and Ringwald display a highly sharp and snappy natural chemistry, Ernie Hudson lends sturdy support as Wolff's two-fisted rival Washington, Andrea Marcovicci shines in her regrettably small role as spunky (and sexy) android Chalmers, and Deborah Pratt, Aleisa Shirley, and Cali Trimmins make for extremely fetching damsels in distress. The lavish sets, grimy costumes, and gnarly old school practical effects are quite impressive. Frank Tidy's crisp cinematography provides a funky stylish look. Elmer Bernstein's spirited score hits the stirring spot. A total blast.

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

Believe it or not this film was released as the same time as "Return of the Jedi" and was shown alongside Jedi at most major movie houses across the country. The studio execs knew it didn't have a chance against "Jedi" so the 3D effects and the release date were primarily a marketing tool to lure you into their movie after "Jedi" had sold out.Another 3D sci-fi film from 1983 was also released during the Theatrical run of "Jedi", it was Called "MetalStorm: The Destruction of Jared Syn" the producers of that film to were also hoping to make a fast buck hoping that audiences who were coming to the movie house to see"Jedi" would see their film after "Jedi" had sold out - again using 3D effects as a lure.both mid-to-low budget sci-fi films(both filmed in 3D) ...SpaceHunter:Adventures in the Forbidden Zone & MetalStorm:The Destruction of Jared Syn were both financial flops. And they are forever linked together in their producers quest to make a fast buck hoping that audiences would stroll into their film after "Jedi" sold out.... However they are both fun to watch. Space Hunter is far away the better of the 2 films