The upcomingGuardians Of The Galaxysees Marvel, for the first time, indulging in an interstellar action adventure.
Its a path that cinema has trodden before, unsurprisingly although rarely with such a budget behind it.
Instead, back in the 80s and 90s, filmmakers had to make do with what they had.
As it turned out, they managed really rather well.
Its a huge, expensive, space-faring epic, with a plot that lets the side down.
On the upside, its visually stunning.
In that sense it has the same feel as Ralph Bashkis take onLord Of The Rings.
Sadors Star Destroyer-like ship contains the most powerful weapon in the galaxy.
Not the Death Star but the, er, Stellar Converter.
When the hero completed each level/boss, he moved onto another more challenging environment.
Think a mix of a teenageMad Maxwith a splash ofWaterworld.
Thats thanks to some nifty technology that makes everyones strength around an equal level.
Thus, its the martial arts and skill that counts rather than brute strength.
Enter, then, the aptly named hero Steve Armstrong, along with his four-armed best mate.
They have to battle monsters from across the galaxy, all within 90 minutes of B-grade pap.
Arena gets bonus points too for the person who penned the copy for the back of the video box.
There, he encounters another survivor from the enemy species known as the Dracs.
The same Dracs he was fighting before.
Banding together for self-survival they learn each others language, share moments and eventually forge a friendship.
It predated Junior by many years.
The Last Starfighter
Welcome to the Star League!
The task at hand?
To help battle a set of lizard-like monsters with cool red armour via the last remaining Starfighter spaceship.
A real treat of the 80s this, an indulgent mix of wish-fulfilment and escapist pleasure.
Thus, while the visual effects have not aged well, it matters not a jot.
Our full lookback at the film is here.
Plus the reveal at the end adds a bit of grandeur and high-concept sci-fi to the whole film.
