MY SCIENCE PROJECT (1985)
Tagline: We must not destroy the world.
(Action, Adventure, Comedy) [PG]
Poor girl lost out. She called me a name I had to look up in the Dictionary!
In this one, these two students, Michael (played by John Stockwell) and Ellie (played by Danielle von Zerneck), break into a military junkyard to find parts for, or even an entire science project, because Michael is super smart but he’s kind of a slacker. They end up finding an electric ball from Spencer’s and bam, the studio just decided to say it’s from space. Just kidding. In the movie, this thing is from space. It doesn’t take long before Michael and his teacher Bob Roberts (played by Dennis Hopper) find out this machine can actually bend time and bring things from both the future, and the past, into the present, and jeopardize the world as we know it. I think in real life that kind of thing probably gets you an “A” in science class, but only if you made it yourself and it doesn’t destroy the world.
In 1985 and 86, you have a mini-run of sci-fi teen comedies or thrillers like WEIRD SCIENCE, REAL GENIUS, and THE MANHATTAN PROJECT, likely sparked by the success of GHOSTBUSTERS 1984. Anyway – for me those movies and MY SCIENCE PROJECT kind of fell off the radar until 2020. This movie was actually part of a really long YouTube playlist of 80’s movies. After reading what it was about, of course, I had to check it out. One quick note. The movie’s title “MY SCIENCE PROJECT” really doesn’t fit this thing. In Denmark, they called it "TIME BUSTERS" which would have been more adequate.
Acting wise this thing is pretty solid. First off I find it funny that Barry Corbin is playing Michael’s grumpy dad Lew Harlan. He’s almost the same character in CRITTERS 2. John Stockwell is probably most famous for his role as Dennis in CHRISTINE and does a pretty decent job in this. Danielle von Zerneck is pretty solid in this as well as Michael’s would-be girlfriend. Danielle is most known as a producer but was an actress in LA BAMBA and several other movies. I think Fisher Stevens's character did the best in this movie however as Vince Latello. Not all of his lines hit the mark, but when they do, he is the most likable and funny character in my opinion. The only character I didn’t like was Bob Roberts (the teacher).
Cinematically you can tell the main crux of the film must have been on a budget, but in the last half hour or so they go all out and this thing plays out like GHOSTBUSTERS on crack in a lot of ways (even breaking it down to the effects team). I am not sure if any of them worked on GHOSTBUSTERS, but they have worked on effects from JURASSIC PARK, to CONGO, to PLANET TERROR, to AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, and on and on. We get everything from dinosaurs to futuristic mutants in this thing. My only critique is that so many of the film's big surprises are crammed into the last half hour. I think they could have spread some things out a bit more, but what we do get is pretty great.
There is a LOT to like about this movie, I found it fun, inventive, and unique overall. It’s also pretty cool that they filmed part of this movie in Tucson, AZ. I am sure critics dumped on it because so many of them have sticks up their butts. I am not that critic… I give this thing a solid 5 out of 7. It’s likely that it was just a few big names and better promotion from being a huge 80s hit.
GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF TOUCHSTONE PICTURES AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY.
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