The Last Starfighter, 1984.
Directed by Nick Castle.
Starring Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Kay E. Kuter, Catherine Mary Stewart, Dan O’Herlihy, and Dan Mason.
SYNOPSIS:
A video game whizzkid ends up being recruited to join a team of starfighters to defend an alien planet from attack.
It takes about five seconds of the opening credits of The Last Starfighter to roll before you realise that this movie perfectly encapsulates the era it was made in and can answer the question of why 1980s movies are so revered, should someone under the age of forty ever ask you.
Bright neon graphics? They’re here. A booming score that reminds you of John Williams’ heroic themes for Star Wars and Superman? Got that too, and then we’re into the familiar plot devices, involving a handsome but slightly nerdy young man – in this case Alex Rogan, played by Lance Guest – and his put-upon life, living in a trailer park with his family and having to do odd jobs whilst his ‘friends’ (use the term loosely, as they don’t seem to like him much) go off and have fun while he has to work. Alex dreams of moving away and building a life for himself – and possibly his girlfriend Maggie (Catherine Mary Stewart), if she can drag herself away from the rest of the group – but in the meantime he’ll keep on playing the Starfighter arcade game that is situated near his home, until the fateful day when he tops his high score, making himself very popular with the locals.
This demonstration of his ability to pilot a spaceship and shoot alien spacecraft makes Alex the target of Centauri (Robert Preston), the creator of Starfighter but also an alien who recruits Alex to his race’s cause to defend their planet against alien invaders.
It isn’t just the score that mimics Star Wars as The Last Starfighter borrows quite a bit from that movie, including the idea of a daydreaming handyman-type wanting more than what his menial life offers. Lance Guest is a likeable lead and has quite a bit to do as one of Centauri’s plans is that a robot version of Alex replaces the real one on Earth, so cue much hilarity there, and it plays out in that 1980s family-friendly way that oozes charm to the point of almost making you want to vomit.
Guest and his earthly co-stars handle the humour well, but it is the action and special effects you are here for, so how do they hold up? Of course, they have dated and look like cut scenes from a PS2 game – which, if you think about it, was quite forward thinking in 1984- but thanks to the 4K restoration and UHD upgrade it does all look clean, sharp and, despite some clunky CGI/practical integration, plays out surprisingly smooth. In an era when Return of the Jedi did space battles on a big budget and Tron captured the essence of the video game world onscreen, The Last Starfighter does look a little tame and lightweight in comparison – more in line with Battlestar Galactica and its small screen adventures – but nevertheless, it is an enjoyable time and a fun nostalgia trip if you saw it back in the day.
Enough to shell out for a slick 4K UHD upgrade? Possibly not, and younger audiences may not see what all the fuss is about as, like with most teenage-oriented movies from the ‘80s, there is more going on under the surface than just action set pieces, but as a piece of throwaway fantasy entertainment The Last Starfighter still has its charms.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Chris Ward
