Just perfect...

From my favorite movies..

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I saw Slipstream back when it was released on video. I remember the video box emphasized the Star Wars connection – its producer Gary Kurtz also produced Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, while it was the film that marked the return of Mark Hamill to the big screen. I recall after actually watching the film, I was somewhat underwhelmed! Having just seen it for the first time since then, I can still understand why I and seemingly many others were unimpressed but to be honest I didn't think it was that bad either. It has a certain curio value and it is at least trying to be a bit different in some ways at least. The story has an opportunist kidnapping a fugitive from a bounty hunter so that he can claim the ransom. This leads to him being pursued by the bad guys.Really, the film is basically a chase movie with some diversions. I think in some ways this is a major weakness of the film because you sort of think there is going to be more to it than this. The setting is a post-apocalyptic world and the title refers to a unique weather phenomenon - a wind that crosses the planet, cleansing it of the nuclear fallout. Other than a settlement of people who treat the slipstream as a god, nothing very much is really made of this and that is a shame. Generally speaking, the script is quite messy and unfocused. On occasions things happen with no build up and the editing is on the whole quite haphazard. You get the feeling that this was probably the result of a troubled production and it seems as though there might be something in that as there were some money problems in financing it once it was underway. Seemingly the producer went bankrupt in the process and this goes some way to explain how this relatively recent film has now fallen into the public domain. After it was released it didn't do well at the box office at all and the studio didn't even release it theatrically in America. Even on home video it wasn't too successful, so it sort of majorly fell off the radar and now appears like a bit of an oddity. For some reason I do sort of like it though despite fully acknowledging the pretty clear deficiencies in it. Its production values are just enough to ensure that there are some worthwhile moments and it does have a certain left-field value that makes it worth catching. But understandably this isn't one for everyone that's for sure.

Umm, this movie is way under-rated. I put it far ahead of most of the crap I have watched in the past ten years. Ben Kingsley, Mark Hamill, Bill Paxton I think his name is were all great. Plus, how about a unique post-apocalyptic scenario? We've already had nuclear war and a desert wasteland, also the world entirely flooded by water after the polar ice caps melt. This one has a crazy rejoining of the continents and several nasty wind-currents that blow around the planet's surface. I'd say that's original. There are several other well-known actors in this film, including a bunch of dudes in a hot-tub, although I can't exactly name them.

It wasn't like I went in expecting much from this viewing, but by the end I was left rather disappointed with its jumbled and insignificant direction. The ambition is there (on that windy slipstream idea), but it could've done with a little more story coherence with its post-apocalyptic futuristic chase concept. Well meaning, but flat and struck down by a leaden script that leans more to a moralistic self-discovery journey. There's a lot of flying, a lot of chit-chat and cue in that score for maximum impact. Elmer Bernstein's music is adventurously grand and airy, but at times overpowering. The strikingly vast and desolate Turkey locations are well-shot, especially the aerial positioning. Director Steven Lisberger formulates few impressive and rousing set-pieces and gets a dingy atmosphere that fits in with look and feel. The budget is kept tight, as it dispenses with anything zesty and keeps on cruise control. Maybe it fell a tad too long. However what's there to say when a bleached and fully bearded Mark Hamill performance (a terrific turn too) as a torrid lawman was one of the main reasons I was kept glued. Well that tells a lot! Although the cast is surprisingly strong and totally game. A shaggy Bill Paxton slums it, but his charismatic appeal and jovial attitude amuses. Bob Peck manages to emit class, even though his performance is bland (that's mainly down to his android character) and over-sentimental. But this doesn't make you think any less. Kitty Aldridge is fetchingly biting and cynical as Hamill's cop partner. There's also enthusiastic support by Robbie Coltrane, Ben Kingsley, F. Murray Abraham and Susan Leong.Instead of being an under-seen minor sci-fi gem, it's a modest throwaway that gains some interest.

I couldn't agree more (previous post re: underrated) this movie was a truly entertaining surprise and I have been trying to find it ever since my husband and i rented it one night after pretty much working our way thru the other rentals at our local video store. Our expectations were not particularly high but we ended up really enjoying this film. The premise is not particularly new - post apocalyptic and all...but the approach and the vision presented of earth at this point is truly refreshing. I think it's a shame that it just didn't get the kind of studio support and exposure that it deserved. I definitely recommend it - you won't be sorry, it's just a very interesting, very well put together movie.