Starship (1985)

User Rating:

2.8/10   

Director:

Roger Christian

Writers:

Roger Christian (writer)
Matthew Jacobs (writer)

Release Date:

4 April 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Plot:

Things are not going well on the mining planet Ordessa: the conditions are awful, the workers are disgruntled...

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Adam Cockburn	...	School child
Tyler Coppin	...	Detective Droid
Ralph Cotterill	...	Jowitt
Rebekah Elmaloglou	...	Little girl
Tami James	...	School child
Hugh Keays-Byrne	...	Danny
Michelle Linley	...	School child
Arky Michael	...	Dylan
Peter Morris	...	Soufie
Ben Philips	...	School child
Donogh Rees	...	Abbie
John Rees	...	Priest
Holly Robinson	...	School child
Deep Roy	...	Grid' not 'Kid
Arthur Sherman	...	Controller
Joy Smithers	...	Lena
James Steele	...	M.P. Droid
John Tarrant	...	Lorca
Cassandra Webb	...	Suzi
Rod Zuanic	...	Lorca's friend

Also Known As:

2084 (Australia)
Lorca and the Outlaws
The Outlaws and the Starship Redwing (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

Australia | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG | West Germany:12 (f)

Filming Locations:

New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Associated-Rediffusion Television

It makes "Battlefield Earth" look good!

The opening scene - where youthful protesters are seemingly trying to influence the "thinking" (more accurately, the programming) of military androids - set's the mood for this entire film: nothing makes any sense!

Roger Christian hasn't had a lot of hits in his career. Well, actually, he's not had ANY. Be that as it may, this one could be his worst movie ever. The week before I saw "Starship." I watched "Battlefield Earth." It was dreadful, of course. But it had at least two things "Starship" didn't: a plot that made *some* sense and action that didn't put you to sleep.

However, "Starship" DID have unintentional humor every so often, which saves it from being a complete and utter waste of time. For instance, why were the androids programmed to feel pain (reminds me of a parody from "The Simpsons")? Why was this movie called "Starship" when it is primarily terrestrially-based? Why was it necessary to have this movie based on some distant planet? (I didn't see anything different about Ordessa compared to an Earth of the future.) Who were the miners? (All we saw were teenagers playing video games, protesting and blowing up things.) The intrepid bounty hunter (who doesn't seem very menacing) is named "Danny"? Oh, I could go on and on...

Anyway, if you can stay awake through it, you might get a chuckle or two out of it. However, if you are looking for an interesting, exciting, well-made movie - take a pass on "Starship"!

My rating: 2