The Last Starfighter

The Last Starfighter (1984)

  • 75% of critics liked it
    (28 reviews)

  • 65% of users liked it
    (46,436 ratings)

Trailer-park teenager Lance Guest regularly escapes from his humdrum existence by playing the video game Starfighter. His expertise at this recreational endeavor attracts the attention of affable stranger Robert Preston. Before he knows what's happening, Guest is whisked by Preston into the… More

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PG,
Directed By
Genres
Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy
In Theaters
Jul 13, 1984 Wide
On DVD
Jun 8, 1999
Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Geoff Andrew, Time Out

    Great fun, with some truly comical moments; a must for pulp-heads and video-junkies.

  • Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures

    full of 80s cheese, but for someone like me who grew up with this kind of stuff, it was the perfect escape

  • Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com

    One of the few successful Spielberg clones, administering the usual routine of aliens and mouth-agape wonder with friendly determination and a perfect, just perfect, game boy screenwriting hook.

  • Sean Axmaker, Seanax.com

    The simplistic plot and simple story work thanks to the energy and light touch of director Nick Castle.

  • Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews

    Charmingly hokey...takes the suburban-working-class-folks-meet-space-aliens paradigm of early Spielberg and marries it to Lucas' Star Wars. [Blu-ray]

Read all 13 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

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

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Thomas B


    Despite the obvious Star Wars overtones/wholesale rip-offs, this is a fun film with some great scenes. Full review later.

  • AJ V


    Even for a sci-fi movie the story is really out there, and not in a good way. This movie is corny and predictable. I didn't care for it.

  • Conner R


    I really don't care if this is a so-called rip off of Star Wars, it's too amazing and fun to be just as simple as that. This really takes the generation's mindset of the time, hoping to see what space and adventure had to offer. It has a very fun story, great acting and… More

  • Tim S


    Goofy as can be, but enjoyable.

  • Jason O


    A movie I've seen a few times, once recently, that my dad always had taped. I'm surprised he had it taped because he never cared much for video games, and after watching it, I was equally surprised that I wasn't that impressed, cause I usually love movies based off… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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