The Last Starfighter

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The Last Starfighter

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The Last Starfighter

Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Dan O'Herlihy, Catherine Mary Stewart, Barbara Bosson

At the time of its original release in 1984, this modestly budgeted sci-fi excursion had the distinction of offering some of the first examples of purely computer-generated animation, an apt (and frug...( read more  read more... )al) special-effects solution for a movie with a plot line rooted in computer games. Both the computer-generated visuals and the arcade game now look quaint, but writer-director Nick Castle's affable, good-hearted adventure holds up nicely, thanks to a clever premise--the title game is actually a test for prospective starship pilots, planted by embattled aliens under siege from an evil invader. When a restless teenager (Lance Guest) racks up an impressive score, he finds himself spirited away to the besieged planet and thrust into the midst of an intergalactic war. Apart from Castle's skill at contrasting his extraterrestrial settings with the mundane details of his hero's earthbound life, the movie gets lift-off from two thorough pros, Robert Preston, who makes the alien recruiter, Centauri, a planet-hopping cousin to The Music Man's Harold Hill, and Dan O'Herlihy, the alien copilot, who suggests a scaly Walter Brennan. Older fans will snicker, but kids and young teens will find this rite of passage absorbing, while their folks will savor Preston's brash charm. --Sam Sutherland

Id: 10903927

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Recent Reviews

The Last Starfighter Recent Reviews
  • SirPant
    September 21, 2009
    SirPant
    If this is a poor man's Star Wars I'm proud to call myself a poor man.
  • phubbs1
    February 10, 2009
    phubbs1
    Hmmm even when this came out it was a poor mans Star Wars and even a poor mans Battlestar Gallactica. Sure it was for kids but it was pretty lame stuff, the effects were crap back then and terrible now, the aliens were all unoriginal much like the starships and plot (very much li...( read more)ke Tron) and it was so cliched and predictable...even then.

    Jumping on the Star Wars, BSG bandwagon Im afraid.
  • Deano78
    September 6, 2008
    Deano78
    A poor 80's action film.
  • shiftyeyeddog
    July 15, 2008
    shiftyeyeddog
    What do you get when you decide to use CG effects before they're good enough to use? You get The Last Starfighter. Every time they go to a computer-created shot of a ship or planet, it's quite jarring - takes you right out of the film. Technology just wasn't up to where...( read more) it needed to be yet.

    The movie felt like a giant cash-in attempt, trying to suck in kids based on both their love of videogames and their love of Star Wars. That Star Wars envy is most obvious in the score. While decent music, you can hear the SW inspiration in almost every piece, and a few cues almost sound like direct copies.

    24-year-old star Lance Guest looks every bit of 24, though we're supposed to believe he and his friends are teenagers, getting ready to go off to college. But at least he's a passable actor, which is more than I can say for most of the supporting cast.

    I think if I saw this as a kid, i might have enjoyed it (as I was one of those kids into videogames and Star Wars), but I had never seen it until now; and as an adult, it's just another silly, mediocre Star Wars knockoff.
  • AgentLexi2132
    February 3, 2008
    AgentLexi2132
    Pending Review...

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  • eryri
    December 18, 2009
    eryri
    A cool sci-fi movie from the mid 80's. A definite rip off of Star Wars. Loved it.
  • 339z
    December 5, 2009
    339z
    well umn just seen this movie 4 the 1st time n think that this is a good movie 2 watch....its got a good cast of actors/actressess throughout this movie...i think that lance guest, robert preston, dan o herlihy, catherine mary stewart, barbara bosson, norman snow, kay kutter play...( read more) good roles/parts thorughout this movie...i think that the director of this fantasy/sci-fi/drama movie had done a good job of directing this movie because you never know what 2 expect throughout this movie...i think that the fight scenes/special effects were good throughout this movie...i think that this is an enjoayble sci-fi/fantasy movie 2 watch with a good cast throughout this movie
  • Yelverton
    November 20, 2009
    Yelverton
    One of my favorite sci-fi films.
  • 21rclemente
    November 16, 2009
    21rclemente
    Cheap Star Wars wanna be. Kid needs to be bigger than life, Destroys alien threat, and wins the girl. Same playing field as Masters of the Universe.
  • whispersofecstacy
    November 9, 2009
    whispersofecstacy
    Another one of my favorites. A classic with a great storyline.
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