My Movie Review on InnerSpace (Plus, a Bonus) · 1:55pm Nov 24th, 2022
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!
This is your friendly film, TV show, and episode reporter here with another review.
Today, for the 3rd installment of this year's "Thanksgiving Treat", I'm gonna give you guys my take of "InnerSpace".
Here's the rundown of it:
After resigning his commission as a U.S. Navy aviator, Tuck Pendleton volunteers for a secret science experiment helmed by Dr. Ozzie Wexler. By getting miniaturized in a pod, and injected by a syringe, Tuck is to travel inside the body of a bunny.
However, a rival organization, lead by Victor Scrimshaw and Dr. Margaret Canker, interferes with the experiment and tries to steal the miniaturization technology, including the pod. In a desperate attempt to keep Tuck and the pod safe, Dr. Wexler immediately injects them inside of an unknowing grocery store clerk named Jack Putter. Putter in question is a nervous wreck who's been struggling with high levels of anxiety, fear, and stress for years, and when he discovers that Tuck is inside him...well, he doesn't know what to think.
Working together, Tuck and Jack must get the stolen miniaturization technology back before the pod runs out of oxygen. The only other person who can help them is a reporter named Lydia Maxwell, who is Tuck's ex-girlfriend and has a lead on one of Scrimshaw's close associates: The Cowboy.
Will the trio succeed in their crazy mission? Or will Jack be forever stuck with a small pod and a future corpse in his body?
The first time I ever saw "InnerSpace" was when my family and I were looking for something to be entertained by one night. I don't remember what my thoughts on this movie were back then, and I believe it's because it didn't leave as much of an impact on me as a kid. Many years later, though, I was inspired to buy a DVD copy of the movie since my parents enjoyed watching it and I was interested in seeing it again.
In preparation for reviewing the movie, I watched it two times this year just to be sure of what my thoughts on it were and to gain a sense of construction in my head. Because of how many other movies I committed myself to reviewing, it took em a while to actually get around to analyzing "InnerSpace". It even took me over a week to write the whole thing down!
Until now that is.
So, what do I think of "InnerSpace"? Especially considering the difficult process behind making a review for it?
Well, in my humble opinion, "InnerSpace" is truly one of the most amazing movies I've ever watched!
For instance, the direction by Joe Dante, the story by Chip Proser, and the screenplay by Proser and Jeffrey Boam, were marvelously well-done!
Every step of the way, I was enraptured by all that the film was providing. Aided by the influences of co-screenwriter Jeffrey Boam and executive producer Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante tackled and executed the concept with mind-blowing creativity and passion.
The humor throughout the movie was hilarious! All of the jokes were so well-played that I couldn't keep myself from constantly laughing, and the best part was that they carried an innocent quality that most comedies nowadays don't even have. The film wasn't without heart and emotion either, which particularly generated from the growing friendship between Jack and Tuck, and the romance between Tuck and Lydia. The apparent love triangle Jack, Tuck, and Lydia were caught in was also a great source of conflict, and it made sense because the adventure was something two men and a woman were undertaking.
The special effects were spectacular, if I may add.
For a movie made and released in the 1980s, the film showcased some of the most impressive visuals I ever saw. All the scenes featuring Tuck's pod inside Jack's body, and briefly in Lydia's body, looked so real! It was like Dante and the effects team were actually able to get in someone's body, and hardly any of the scenes carried signs that they were created through special effects or manmade sets either. The visualization for Igoe's shuttles amazing too, and the scenes featuring it traveling throughout Jack's body and attacking Tuck's pod were a rollicking great time to watch.
The acting, characters, and character development were fantastic as well.
I really can't lie, Martin Short killed it with his portrayal of Jack. I loved how funny he was not just through some comedic lines, but because of how overtly physical he often got. His ability with physical comedy in this movie was perhaps the greatest I've seen since the works of Dick Van Dyke and Tim Conway, and the best part was that it infused the prospect of Tuck being inside Jack with a sense of realism. Short also translated Jack as an incredibly lovable and relatable individual, especially to where people could find something of themselves in him due to his personal struggles. Out of all the characters, Jack was perhaps the most developed of them, because his growth throughout the film was incredibly transformative.
Likewise, Dennis Quaid was awesome in the role of Tuck. Quaid showed that he has a surprisingly amusing sense of humor, because his comedic-timings and possible ad-libs throughout the movie made Tuck equally enjoyable to watch. The character himself was obviously the kind of guy who's rough around the edges, but Quaid was able to balance his personality and make Tuck someone to love regardless. Also, the way Quaid delivered Tuck's interactions with Jack as he was in his body was incredibly authentic, especially to where he was able to make the prospect seem very real. And just like Jack, Tuck had dynamic development throughout the film.
Plus, Meg Ryan was fabulous in the role of Lydia. She gave her character such fire in her personality, and her sense of humor and abilities to make whatever characters she plays instantly three-dimensional were at an all-time high in this movie. Lydia herself wasn't without consistent character growth.
As an honorable mention, I'd like to say that Kevin McCarthy stole the show with his performance of Victor Scrimshaw. The character may not have been one of the most original villains in cinematic history, but McCarthy portrayed Victor with so much personality and humor that he became unforgettable in the best way. Fiona Lewis was also quite a scene-stealer with her performance as Dr. Margaret Canker, because she too portrayed her character with an enjoyable sense of humor and personality. On top of this, Vernon Wells did an amazing job portraying Mr. Igoe, creating a henchman who's three-dimensional and intimidating despite his character being a silent type of guy. Victor Scrimshaw, Margaret Canker, and Mr. Igoe weren't without development either, that's for sure.
Finally, the music by Jerry Goldsmith was magnificent.
Every melody Goldsmith created was ear-catchingly captivating, in large part because his score carried a crescendo and resonance that helped this Joe Dante-movie feel all-the-more inspired. For example, every time an action sequence or suspenseful moment came up, the music would create a sense of excitement and tension that's put me on the edge of my seat. I'm surprised that he wasn't given an Academy Award for Best Original Score on this movie, I'll tell you guys that.
In conclusion, "InnerSpace" is truly one of the greatest sci-fi comedies and 1980s films I've ever watched. It showcases talented people at their finest, everyone was clearly having fun working on the project, and it's by far the best movie in Joe Dante's directorial career.
So, I rate "InnerSpace" a solid five out of five stars.
As a special bonus for you guys, I'm gonna share with you another one of my latest original paintings:
So, what do you guys think? Of this review? And my painting?
I really love this movie!