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Starman (1984)

Director: John Carpenter

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Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Carpenter forsakes action and horror, and delivers a rather lame sci-fi love story. Alien Bridges journeys to Earth on what he imagines will be a straightforward mission of friendship. He imagines wrong, of course, as all the pesky earthlings prove to be nasty, brutish and violent. All, that is, except for widowed, childless Karen Allen, who is first kidnapped by Bridges, then falls in love, and finally has to save him. This lacks the drive, energy and surprise which one associates with Carpenter. The best special effects are in the first five minutes. Thereafter, it's all rather predictable. The normally excellent Bridges shuffles his way through a robotic performance as though he's just been unplugged, and the film's (very) basic gag - his naïve response to what he experiences - wears thin pretty quick.

Author: RR

Time Out Film Guide


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