Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)

  • 74% of critics liked it
    (38 reviews)

  • 85% of users liked it
    (26,484 ratings)

The cult television series Mystery Science Theatre 3000 transfers its brand of science-fiction wisecracking to the big screen with relatively few changes. The concept is the same in series and film: an innocent man (Michael J. Nelson, playing Mike Nelson) is stranded in outer space by a mad… More

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In Theaters
Apr 19, 1996 Wide
MCA Universal Home Video

Critic Reviews

  • Todd McCarthy, Variety

    [The wisecracks], more often than not, don't go over. But those that do still add up to lotsa laughs, and the sheer weight of them eventually builds an atmosphere of mild lunacy that it's useless to resist.

  • John F. Kelly, Washington Post

    So, how does movie differ from TV show? The answer is, thankfully, not a lot.

  • Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

    Helping to make these pleasantries funny is their spur-of-the-moment quality, the same quick spontaneity that characterizes chance remarks overheard at raucous movie houses. Capturing that bright and unexpected quality is what the MST3K crew does best.

  • Janet Maslin, New York Times

    One of the film's more likable aspects is its certainty that nothing's sacred.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    Part of the appeal of the program is in the wisecracking. But the movies themselves are also crucial.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

  • Greg S


    From the cult TV series, a man and his two robots trapped in space mock one of the worst movies ever made--only in the one-off feature version the film is THIS ISLAND EARTH, a colorful sci-fi film that isn't close to the laughable fare the show usually covered. The feature film… More

  • Lewis C


    I love Mystery Science Theater, but the movie version does not compare well with the television series. This Island Earth just doesn't offer many opportunities for humor (except for the absurd insect mutants that are supposedly similar to the insects here on earth). I can't… More

  • David S


    My first exposure to the MST franchise, I had to watch it a second time around to get it better (first time was at night on tv when I was half-asleep) and I'm glad I decided to give it a second chance when I taped it. I had myself in stitches while watching this, I really did.… More

  • David L


    If you, the viewer, are not familiar with Mystery Science Theater 3000, better known as MST3K, I recommend that you rent/buy/borrow, beg, or steal tapes and dvds to become a tad familiar with the concept. The concept is: riffing a B-or-worse-scifi-movie; the victim, er-- subject,… More

  • Lafe F


    It's not my brand of humour. Their commentary during bad B-films I didn't quite find funny. It was hard watching some of the movies they showed.

Read all 18 featured audience ratings

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