Review of Back to the Future (1985) by Jacob M — 18 Jun 2013

In 1985, teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) doesn't have the greatest life. His father George (Crispin Clover), is a nerdy, bullied coward who is always picked on by his supervisor, Biff (Thomas F. Wilson), and his mother Lorraine (Lea Thompson) has a serious drinking problem. His only pleasure in life is his friendship with Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd).

One night, Marty discovers that Doc is working on a time machine out of a Delorian, and declares it will make him famous. When Marty accidentally sent back in time to the year 1955, he unintentionally alters the timeline to where his parents never meet and Marty would never exist. With the help of a younger Doc, Marty must fix the time continuum and return back to his time period before it's too late.

Back to the Future was directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Steven Spielberg, and the collaboration is a perfect match. What we have here is a sci-fi, an adventure, and a comedy rolled into one amazing film.

What really works in the film is the comedy, especially the comparisons from the 80's to the 50's. For example, in 1985, Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States, but in 1955, he was a famous Hollywood actor, which that reference was one of the funniest jokes in the whole film, so funny that Reagan told the film projectionist when he first heard it to rewind the film and play that line again.

The story is one of the most original stories told in a sci-fi film. Who knew that a mother unintentionally having a relationship with her future son would turn out to be a classic? When Back to the Future was first released, people thought it would be a flop, dye to the change in actors during production and a delayed production. In the end, Back to the Future became the highest grossing film of 1985, and I can see why.

Also, the cast in the film is a real treat. Michael J. Fox stands out as Marty, and his scenes with Christopher Lloyd as Doc are some of the best. Crispin Glover is fun and nerdy as the father, Lea Thompson is attractive and funny as Marty's mom, and Thomas F. Wilson is evil and entertaining as Biff, particularly in the 50's scenes, where his character wants to literally kill Marty and attempt to steal his mom away from his dad.

Alan Silvestri's score is one of his most memorable, and the use of 50's music is a standout, particularly in the scene where Marty rocks out to Johnny B. Goode, which is one of the best scenes in the whole film. The theme song, Huey Lewis's The Power of Love, is also an awesome 80's classic tune.

And last but not least, the visual effects are awesome, especially for the time machine when it transports. After over 25 years of release, these effects still hold up well. Also, the makeup is also a standout, making Back to the Future a spectacular watch.

With an original story, a well-constructed cast, and a spectacular dose of humor and adventure, Back to the Future is an 80's classic. If you haven't seen it already, you don't now what you're missing.