Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Jenna Walter The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Anoushka Slater While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Krazy Joe This movie was soooo funny when I was in Grade School.It hasn't aged well. A lot of these jokes fall flat today.I still find the combing the desert scene to be pretty hilarious, and Rick Moranis flying across the ship and smashing his head is still funny. A lot of the gags like throwing jam at the radar and having a character named 'Dot Matrix' feel stupid or dated. Would anyone born in the mid to late 90s even get the "Dot Matrix" joke? Would anyone of that age even know what a Dot Matrix printer is?I have happy nostalgic memories of this film so I could never hate it, but it really hasn't aged well. Other Mel Brooks efforts like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and History of the World Part I stand the test of time better than this one.

MaximumMadness One of the most unique and mind-bending forces to ever grace the world of comedy, Mel Brooks was and still very much is a national treasure. However, with the brilliance of his work comes something of a minor tragedy that is undeniable... his body of work, while almost entirely high quality and consistently hilarious, is quite small. With no more than a dozen directing credits to his name over a period of less than thirty years, and with his last feature directorial effort film having been made more than twenty years ago, Brooks seemed to peak far too soon before retiring to work as a producer and actor. It's one of the great shames of the world of entertainment... that we didn't get more comedy masterpieces from this genius.One of his later films, the wild and wacky Sci-Fi parody "Spaceballs", has gone on to become something of a cult classic. Not as massive a hit as his other movies at initial release, the film went on to earn a second life on home video and cable airings, later solidifying it as another strong win for Brooks. And this is of course thanks to his trademark humor and the very likable performances of the excellent cast. Focused primarily on lampooning the cultural phenomena that was George Lucas' "Star Wars" along with a smattering of other clever tie-ins to famous and timeless Sci-Fi properties, "Spaceballs" is a fine example of parody done right... something particularly admirable with today's trend in so-called "parodies" being little more than cheap and instantly-dated affairs that trade nonsensical references for true gags.Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) and the incompetent President Skroob (Brooks) of the villainous Planet Spaceball hatch a plan to kidnap Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga). Their goal: To use her as a bargaining chip to suck all of the fresh air off her peaceful Planet Druidia, having squandered their own supply. Dashing mercenary Lone Star (Bill Pullman) and his half-canine, half-man sidekick Barf (short for Barfolomew, as portrayed by John Candy) are enlisted to help save the day. Their journey will take them on various misadventures, including meeting master of the mysterious "Schwatz" and merchandising genius Yogut (also portrayed by Brooks) and battling a giant robotic super-weapon known as "Mega Maid."Brooks' is for the most part at the top of his game, at least as far as humor is concerned. He continues his strong trend of brilliant parody, with his main focus of course being the original "Star Wars" trilogy. Characters are perfect parallels and satires of their counterparts, and there's even a bit of really clever fourth- wall breaking going on. My favorite bit being the character "Yogurt", who not only parodies the famed Frank Oz creation of Yoda, but is also a nice subtle swipe at George Lucas' over- eagerness to capitalize on "Star Wars" through merchandising every product imaginable. Another of the big stand- outs is Moranis' Dark Helmet, a brilliant re-imagining of Darth Vader that takes the iconic villain and re-interprets him as a bratty, pencil-necked geek in an intimidating and over-sized mechanical suit. There's some really funny stuff that goes on with the character and he has some of the best laugh-out-loud moments of the film.The rest of the cast is similarly wonderful. Pullman makes for a charming and very likable oafish rift on Han Solo. Candy is just perfect as the lovable and kind-hearted goofball that is Barf. Zuniga is appropriately feisty as the dashing Princess. Brooks' dual roles are both outstanding supporting characters that make good use of his dry wit and infectious charm. And other supporting roles by the likes of George Wyner and Dick Van Patton are just a ton of fun. But I gotta give special props to the late and great Joan Rivers, who supplies the voice of trash-talking android Dot Matrix, Vespa's constant companion. Not only a great rift on the duo of C- 3PO and R2-D2, but just a great character in her own right.That being said, this isn't one of Brooks' very best, and a few points need to be docked for some fairly large faults that hold it back from time to time. This is perhaps the most scattershot and unfocused of Brooks' films, and while it doesn't falter as much as say "Dracula: Dead and Loving It", it still doesn't quite work in a lot of scenes. There's a few too many random references and nonsensical insertions of various other properties, that I found it distracting. For example and without spoiling anything... yes, the "Alien" parody was silly, but it felt out of the blue and unnecessary. A prolonged gag based on "Star Trek" teleporters also felt a bit out of place, especially in the context of which it was used. I also do find that this is where Brooks' humor started a trend in becoming far more hit-and-miss. For every zinger, there's a groaner here. And while it will become more and more amusing on repeated viewings, it just lacks that inherent freshness of his other films as a result of this.Still, I cannot deny that "Spaceballs" is a great time. There's a ton of fun to be had with its silly premise, fine performances and its clever gags. And while it may not deliver on the promise of his earlier work, Brooks' still shines with his hilarious writing and solid use of parody. It's no "Young Frankenstein"... but it's close enough to make it worth your while.I give "Spaceballs" a very good 8 out of 10. May the Schwatz be with you!

sme_no_densetsu Mel Brooks's mid-seventies genre parodies "Blazing Saddles" & "Young Frankenstein" are certified classics that still rank among the best comedies of all time. By 1987, Brooks had applied his comedic talents to a number of different genres but he had yet to tackle science fiction. With the massive popularity of "Star Wars" (among other movies) the time was right. Although initially met with a mixed reception, "Spaceballs" eventually found its audience on home video and now stands as one of Brooks's most popular films.As with any successful comedy, assembling the right cast is essential. SCTV vets Rick Moranis & John Candy filled two key roles while Mel Brooks himself did double duty as the wise Yogurt and the not-so-wise President Skroob. Relative newcomers Bill Pullman & Daphne Zuniga fit in quite well in a cast that also included notable contributions from Dick Van Patten, Joan Rivers & Dom DeLuise. Lastly, the cameo by John Hurt was an unexpected treat.The script is playful and doesn't trouble itself with slavishly following the narrative of "Star Wars", even though there are many parallels. Most importantly, the story is true to the spirit of "Star Wars" in that it's more science fantasy than science fiction. Allusions to other movies can also be seen throughout, from "Alien" to "Lawrence of Arabia".Brooks's direction is well done from a visual standpoint while supporting, rather than overwhelming, the comedic elements. The special effects are surprisingly well handled overall, though some of the effects are admittedly (probably for comedic effect) a bit crude. Musically, John Morris's score effectively captures the feel of "Star Wars", among other movies. I'm less keen on the soundtrack selections since they seem a bit out of place but they're not bad as far as 80's popular music is concerned.Ultimately, "Spaceballs" is a movie that was unfairly dismissed at the time of its release. Sure, 10 years after the original "Star Wars" and 4 years after the conclusion of the original trilogy wasn't exactly striking while the iron was hot but nearly 30 years later "Spaceballs" has defied the critics by emerging as a cult classic. I'd say that it's essential viewing for any "Star Wars" fan, not to mention pretty darn funny in it's own right. "May the Schwartz be with you!"

Irishchatter Oh my lord, my jaws are literally a little sore from laughing at this. It was great to see the well known stars in this like John Candy, Rick Moranis, John Hurt and Joan Rivers(RIP). I didn't expect that they made Joan Rivers into female C-3PO. You would wonder if shes wearing the costume or is it just a toy robot that moves its hands and feet? The movie really takes the p*ss out of both star wars and star trek. It is funny how they change the serious part into a more sarcastic theme. I think its a very good idea for a proper spoof movie. Nowadays, spoof movies that take the p*ss outta other films, they pretty much terrible. They don't have the proper funny side nor have proper legends in them as this one has! I think this is one of the best spoof movies I've ever seen and I'm sorry that I didn't get to see it before today!