rnc55

I can't think of anything worse to say about an action fantasy thriller than that it put me to sleep. The action was boring and predictable, the fantasy was hideously taped together from bits of real Egyptian mythology, and the, um, thrills were what put me to sleep.

The acting was okay, but it's actually pretty easy to spout line after line of horrific dialogue in a convincing way. Special effects? Not overly pathetic, but CGI is not my cup of tea even in good movies.

The romance, drama and (attempts at) comedy were also all incredibly predictable. At least I don't feel badly about falling asleep, because I know I didn't miss much.

Jeez, even Pacific Rim was FAR better than this. And Pacific Rim was spectacularly awful.

I love deli food and I loved this movie. The historical stuff was fascinating, while Ziggy, the main focus, is delightful and lovable. I really have nothing bad to say EXCEPT-- the deli they featured in San Francisco is the only one in the movie that doesn't stick to traditional deli food, but specializes in chi-chi California Cuisine- style variations on the theme. Okay great. But most restaurants in San Francisco, featuring ANY type of cuisine, do the same thing. It's not noteworthy for any restaurant in SF to feature smoked caramelized arugula drizzle. So the filmmakers should have shown a traditional Jewish deli in San Francisco-- - THAT would be special. And one does exist. I went there after the movie and had a heavenly whitefish salad sandwich.

Okay, rant over. Despite that one major flaw, it's still a great movie.

The only other movie this reminds me of is Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Similar cheesy aliens/space outfits, a goofy comic relief guy and an intellectual level below the IQ of most 4 year olds. And it has the same incredibly cheesy overall look and feel to it, too. Bad? Well, yes, it's a bad movie. But I'm one of those people who loves bad movies. I mean, just reading the plot on the DVD sleeve made me burst out laughing, so I figured I was in for some spectacularly bad cinema, and I wasn't disappointed.

The story? Aliens come to rescue an alien whale who was left on earth ten years earlier. With a plot line like that, how can you resist? This movie isn't so bad that it's good; rather, it's so ineffably horrific that it's great.

Highly, highly recommended. And bonus points for the flying saucer that looks like a giant inflatable starfish.