Slipstream |
  • UK • 1989 • 102m •    • Directed by: Steven Lisberger. • Starring: Bob Peck, Mark Hamill, Kitty Aldridge, Bill Paxton, Susan Leong, Alkis Kritikos, Tony Alleff, Ricco Ross, George Camiller, Diana Defries, Gay Baynes, Robbie Coltrane, Paul Reynolds. • Music by: Elmer Bernstein.      In the future, natural disasters have ravaged the Earth, leaving the Earth as a world where pockets of communities live within canyons whilst a violent wind known as "The Slipsteam" rules the Earth and the only means of transport are airplanes. Matt Owens is a daredevil adventurer who kidnaps Byron, a fugitive wanted for murder, who is the prisoner of law officer Will Tasker so he can claim the bounty for himself. Travelling across the wind swept landscape, Matt and Byron are pursued by Will and his partner Belitski, Matt finds Byron isn't what he appears to be and learns Byron is android who murdered his creator and they form a friendship as they travel from community to community and encounter pockets of strange societies that lives beyond the slipstream.
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Review:
The main players in the film put in some good performances, especially the late great Bob Peck for whose character I did manage to feel sympathy for and care about due to his acting skills. A bearded, peroxide blonde Mark Hamill gives a terrifically sinister bad guy performance as the unrelenting cop, even though it was a little OTT. You could sense Hamill clearly loved being on the "dark side" for once. Bill Paxton gets most of the action and does a reasonable job. Cameos, from Ben Kingsley and F.Murray Abraham adds some, if a little undeserved, class to the credits. Also look out for Robbie (Cracker) Coltrain.
Story wise (essentially a chase movie) it is highly unoriginal, borrowing heavily from Blade Runner and Midnight Run, all done in a Mad Max style. It does tend to meander and is irrelevant in places, leaving the viewer a little disorientated. However, my interest was sustained mainly due to the strange character played by Peck. Unfortunately, his character wasn't explored adequately, and I was left wanting to know more. Indeed, the story is underdeveloped and incomplete. The movie doesn't hide the fact that it is trying to convey some sort message about humanity and the future to its audience, with a religious undertone.
Special FX and action scenes left a lot to be desired; the shoot out in the forest was very shoddily done (one of the worst I've seen). The aircraft looked like large AirFix models and the flying shots looked unrealistic and rushed. To be fair, daylight SFX was very hard to achieve at that time and require the aid of computers. No computer FX were used in this movie I suspect. All this lends to a low budget, almost T.V feel to this movie. However, a mention must go to the kite scene, which is very well done, exciting and is probably the highlight of the film. The final action scene is good too, rounded off with an optimistic ending. The locations are used effectively and go some way to make up for the poor SFX.
Slipstream, is an all but virtually forgotten British Sci-Fi movie and it appears it going to stay that way. Pity really, as it's a decent effort, with an interesting, if unoriginal story and good acting. Refreshingly, the makers have avoided any wanton violence and gore. If you are in the least bit interested in Sci-Fi try and watch this film if you come across this inthe video store, or if comes on T.V., if only to see Hamill play a bad guy.
Review by Zooropa7 from the Internet Movie Database.
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