

Lost In Space (1998)
William Hurt, Gary Oldman, Matt Le Blanc, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, 
Jack Johnson, Lacey Chabert. Directed by Stephen Hopkins.
PG-13, 3 stars (out of 5 stars)

Review by Ed Johnson-Ott, NUVO Newsweekly
www.nuvo-online.com/film/
Archive reviews at http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Edward+Johnson-ott

Whenever Hollywood trots out its latest big budget film based on an old 
TV series, people invariably ask if it's as good as the original. In the 
case of "Lost In Space," the obvious answer is How could it not be? Irwin 
Allen's "Lost In Space," which ran from 1965 through '68, was quite 
possibly the lousiest show in the history of television. Nostalgic baby 
boomers remember it fondly as a camp classic. They are wrong. The film 
"Valley Of The Dolls" and the old "Batman" TV series were camp. "Lost In 
Space" was simply bargain basement kiddie dreck as its very worst. A sci-
fi version of "The Swiss Family Robinson," the show was a painfully dull 
melange of wooden acting, Grade Z special effects, and costumes straight 
from an elementary school play. The only element of the show even 
remotely interesting was the bitchy relationship between the family's 
robot and the villainous Dr. Smith, played by Jonathan Harris as a grumpy,
 grandiose old queen.

30 years after the series died and went to rerun Hell, "Lost In Space" 
has been reborn as a feature film, with a budget in the neighborhood of 
$80 million. Who would have ever thought? Even more surprising is the 
fact that, for the most part, they finally got it right. This "Lost In 
Space" is a whiz bang, tongue-in-cheek space opera, entertaining and 
visually imaginative. Although the story lurches across more than a few 
rough spots, overall it's a pretty fun ride.

The movie follows the basic premise of the TV series. Faced with looming 
ecological disaster, the United Global Space Force is looking for a new 
planet. Against his wishes, hotshot fly-boy Major Don West (Matt Le 
Blanc) is assigned to pilot the Jupiter 2, taking the Robinson family 
across the galaxy to set up a space gate that will allow instantaneous 
transportation throughout the stars. Enter Dr. Zachary Smith (Gary Oldman,
) a mercenary working for sedition interests, who sabotages the mission, 
but inadvertently ends up trapped on the ship with the Robinsons. Big 
splashy adventures follow, as the group deals with a robot gone berserk, 
intergalactic spiders, a space monkey, and an encounter with a time 
bubble, where they come face to face with future versions of themselves.

William Hurt plays Professor Robinson much like his character in "Altered 
States"; both are chronically preoccupied scientists who care for their 
families, but don't take time to show it. Maureen Robinson (Mimi Rogers 
from "Austin Powers") tries to bridge the emotional gap between Dad and 
the kids; Will (Jack Johnson,) Penny (Lacey Chabert,) and Judy (Heather 
Graham from "Boogie Nights.") The cast is fine, except for "Party Of 
Five's" annoying young Lacey Chabert, who looks like a midget Neve 
Campbell and talks like Alvin the Chipmuck. 

Thankfully, Gary Oldman, in his umpteenth role as a villain, keeps his 
portrayal of Dr. Smith in check. He captures the spirit of Harris, 
spouting lines like "Farewell, my platinum plated pal. Give my regards to 
oblivion," without approaching the hamminess ozone of his predecessor. 
Matt Le Blanc from "Friends" is likable as Major West, the Jupiter 2's 
version of Han Solo. Watch for cameos from June Lockhart (as a 
holographic note from school) and Mark Goddard (Major West's superior 
officer) from the original series. Incidentally, Bill Mumy, the original 
Will Robinson, was inexplicably passed over for a part, while Jonathan 
Harris refused to appear ("I don't do bit parts," he sniffed.)

Of course, "Lost In Space" is about special effects, not acting, and the 
results are mixed. The film boasts over 700 computer-generated visual 
effects, a new record, and many of them are knockouts. After some 
expansive shots of a futuristic city (not as good as "The Fifth Element," 
but still quite nifty,) we're treated with a dazzling launch sequence as 
the Jupiter 2 takes flight. Unfortunately, once the family hits space, 
the effects become more uneven. CGI close-ups of a cryogenic procedure 
look phony, as do some of the creature shots. 

Most irritating are scenes of the Blawp, a space monkey designed by the 
Jim Henson folks to be "user-friendly, from a merchandising point of view.
" The CGI creature moves well enough (for a walking toy commercial,) but 
the effect is never convincingly integrated into the scenes, looking as 
if it was pasted onto the individual frames of film. 

For its first two thirds, "Lost In Space" moves along at a brisk pace, 
nicely mixing visuals and genre standbys, underscored by the "Afterschool 
Special" subplot about young Will seeking parental validation. Things get 
murkier in the final reel, when the time bubble enters the storyline and 
angst-ridden future versions of the cast chase the family around. 
Naturally, all is resolved in time to set things up for a sequel.

Although undeniably cheesy, "Lost In Space" is done with high style and 
good humor. For cinematic junk food, it's tastier than you'd expect it to 
be. Notwithstanding that damned Blawp, of course. Get me a hunting rifle 
and I'd gladly mount its head on the wall, right next to my Ewok.

Copyright 1998, Ed Johnson-Ott