Space Raiders (1983)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Ten-year-old boy Peter (a solid and likable performance by David Mendenhall) stows away on a spaceship that's hijacked by a motley band of intergalactic pirates led by hard-nosed ex-soldier Col. C.W. "Hawk" Hawkins (neatly essayed with gruff'n'growly aplomb by Vince Edwards). Hawk promises to return Peter to his home planet. However, things are complicated by both Hawk's arch nemesis Zeriatin (a nicely wicked portrayal by Ray Stewart) and a lethal robot ship that's been assigned to find Peter at any cost.Writer/director Howard R. Cohen keeps the entertaining story moving along at a swift pace, maintains an engaging good-natured tone throughout, stages the rousing action set pieces with gusto, and further spruces things up with amusing touches of zany humor. Moreover, it's acted with zest by an able and enthusiastic cast, with especially sturdy contributions from Patsy Pease as the scrappy Amanda, Thom Christopher as psychic alien Flightplan, Luca Bercovici as the rowdy Ace, and Drew Snyder as the amiable Aldebarian. Dick Miller pops up in a funny bit role as the hologram for fast-talking salesman Crazy Mel. The sweet relationship between Hawk and Peter gives this picture some real heart and warmth. In addition, the recycled sets from previous Roger Corman films and copious special effects footage from "Battle Beyond the Stars" -- along with James Horner's stirring and spirited score from same! -- add to this movie's irresistibly cheap'n'cheerful ramshackle appeal. An immensely enjoyable Grade B outing.

The last time I saw this movie, I was 10... hence the high rating. If I were to go back, I'm sure I'd find plot inconsistency, A horrible budget. and a touch of B acting.The stuff most classics are made of right?Not for the serious movie watcher. But a diamond in our scifi portfolios for those who love sci fi in all of its shame and glory.As a kid I watched this movie with films like Ice Pirates, The Last Unicorn, ET, Battle Beyond the stars (which was made by the same company), Star Trek 1-3, Indian Jones, Old School Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, and even VOLTRON!This movie is a part of my childhood. I played with Lego's and built spaceships to have battles not unlike those in the movie right in my back yard five out seven days a week, the other two I was watching movies like this one.It's good stuff. Right up there with the animated version of Lensman.

This is, after all, only a fantasy, but I liked it. The idea that a promise was given to a boy by a man who was once an honorable officer, and was kept even though it meant death to Hawk, was special to me. What a memory this young boy must have had all his future life for this man. These characters lived on the edge of excitement all the time, facing death throughout their adventurous lives. I found it good, but perhaps a little hokey at times. Fun to watch anyway. I would rate it at least 6 or 7. It had a good moral.

Most who worked crew on this film came from around the world, all given a shot at working on a Corman film. There were some talented people involved. Vince Edwards ("Ben Casey") had a great time with all this. Much of the foam latex make-up was quite involved. The purple scarf worn by the alien 'Flightplan' is a great comic book touch. Like all Corman films, he always manages to get the job done, and have a good time doing it ...