Recycled sci-fi saga Space Raiders is nowhere near as good as the crisps which bear its name

The foremost example of movie adaptations of corn-based snack foods, “Space Raiders” the movie actually bears little resemblance to its crispy namesakes (probably because it predates them by about four years). It does, however, have a similar nutritional content given its primarily a concoction of reused and repurposed VFX shots and musical cues from James Horner’s all-purpose score from which he used motifs again and again from 1980 through 1986.

One of the cheapest and tackiest movies Roger Corman ever produced, “Space Raiders” is basically a brazen remix of “Battle Beyond The Stars” which uses sizeable samples from the original and then adds in the minimum daily recommended dose of original content. And when I say original I mean, of course, deeply, deeply derivative. When a band of space pirates accidentally acquire a stowaway during a raid, they plan to ransom off the child to his interstellar company parents. But with bounty hunters hot on their trail, they soon find themselves on the run and trying to survive.

space raiders review

It may be cheap and cynically produced but it does at least feature some decent performances. Our dashing hero Hawk (Vince Edwards) may resemble a paunchy middle-aged Andrew Scott but he’s a decent enough lead and Peter (David Mendenhall) is a tremendously likeable example of that early eighties sci-fi staple: the space moppet. It also benefits from the presence of Thom Christopher, more well known as Buck Roger’s ally (and template for “Rick & Morty”’s Bird Person), Hawk. There a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo from Dick Miller and, having spent nothing on VFX and music, the budget is ploughed into creature effects with more than a few entertainingly realised aliens, decent by contemporary and modern standards.

space raiders review

With its low-key sexually liberated subtext (intra-species couples are the apparent norm judging by many of the background extras), you can see elements in this that would go on to, if not directly inspire, then at least inform future (better) titles like “Spaceballs” and “Firefly”. It also shares “Blake’s 7”’s penchant for exciting shoot out and chase scenes around refineries while its final shot is that venerable touchstone of sci-fi TV and film: Vasquez Rocks.

A tawdry example of the worst habits of Corman’s oeuvre, “Space Raiders” is still inoffensive, forgettable fun. And while its predecessor (and cinematic organ donor) may have given a leg up to luminaries such as James Cameron, James Horner and Bill Paxton, perusing the cast and crew of this movie reveals that it provided a launchpad for the career of “Doctor Who” and “Sherlock” director Rachel Talalalay which is on its own worth the investment of 84 minutes.

space raiders review
Score 4/10
logo

Related posts

Happiest Season (2020) Review

Happiest Season (2020) Review

Have yourself a merry little Christmas as Happiest Season sets out to make the Yuletide gay. More of a holiday dramedy than a jolly seasonal RomCom, director Clea DuVall’s loosely autobiographical “Happiest Season” seeks to invert the traditional Christmas movie tropes but inadvertently...

Suspiria (1977) Review

Suspiria (1977) Review

"It's useless to try and explain it to you…it all seems so absurd." I’ve long had a love-hate relationship with horror that’s increasingly been completely out of step with the reality of my movie watching experience nowadays. I'll avoid some horror movies purely because of their...

Frankenstein (1931) Review

Frankenstein (1931) Review

Frankie goes to Hollywood! Universal’s 1931 production of “Frankenstein” opens with a preamble from actor Edward Van Sloan stepping from behind a curtain and delivering a brief cautionary announcement before the opening credits ‘How do you do? Mr Carl Laemmle [the movie’s producer]...

Suicide Squad (2016) Review

Suicide Squad (2016) Review

Well...this is #skwawkward... It wasn't supposed to be like this. By the time “Suicide Squad” rolled around, we were meant to be primed for a little down 'n' dirty fun to counterpoint the portentous deus ex machinations of the titans of the DC universe duking it out in “Batman V...

The Angry Birds Movie (2016) Review

The Angry Birds Movie (2016) Review

Since it was launched in 2009, the Angry Birds game has been downloaded over a billion times. It’s had numerous spin-offs and tie-in merchandise and now it’s got its own movie. If you’ve ever played the game, you’ll know the feeling when you’ve got your shot lined up (or so you think) only...

The Devil’s Advocate (1997) Review

The Devil's Advocate (1997) Review

The Devil's in the details, so always check the small print. The Devil’s Advocate is a film that straddles the line between legal thriller and supernatural horror with devilish glee, offering a compelling, stylish, and surprisingly thought-provoking ride. At the heart of this Faustian...

Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) (2015) Review

Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) (2015) Review

Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) swoops into UK cinemas today, a great start to the year. Much has been made of the Meta premise of Michael Keaton playing an ageing actor, once famous for playing an iconic superhero, looking to prove his artistic integrity by mounting a...

Battle Beyond The Stars (1980) Review

Battle Beyond The Stars (1980) Review

Looking back at a childhood favourite: the buxomly battleshipped Battle Beyond The Stars There’s something so intoxicatingly comforting about "Battle Beyond The Stars", Roger Corman’s sci-fi reimagining of “The Magnificent Seven”, itself a remake of “Seven Samurai” that I’m...