Review of Forbidden Planet (1956) by James H — 16 Jan 2010

This is one of the great classics among science fiction movies, with a great deal of imagination and insight to go along with a very interesting story and a wealth of creative details in the settings and in the numerous gadgets and devices. Today it's mostly remembered as the debut of Robby the Robot, and Robby is indeed a lot of fun, but there is much, much more that makes "Forbidden Planet" so worthwhile.

The story is played out on a number of different levels. The first story is the relief team's investigation into what happened to the previous mission to the planet, of which there is only one survivor. A further dimension is introduced in the relations between Morbius, the survivor, and his now-grown, wide-eyed daughter, as they interact with the visitors. To this is then added the story of the great, lost civilization of the Krell, and the mystery of their disappearance. As the movie proceeds, all three are woven together very nicely to create a dangerous crisis.

One of the strengths of science fiction as a genre is the opportunity it affords to use a different time and place to investigate deeper themes about humanity, bringing out observations and ideas to which more conventional settings might not lend them. In this case, the ideas about human nature that tie together the various plot lines contain some perceptive and sometimes provocative insights, with implications that are well worth thinking about.

And it by no means neglects the standard things that make good science fiction movies enjoyable to watch. Besides Robby, there are numerous other interesting devices, and most of them are rendered visually with considerable skill for the time. Much of the movie, indeed, still looks very good today. Walter_Pidgeon heads up the cast, giving a fine performance as the complex Morbius. Ann Francis, Leslie Nielson, and Warren Stevens fill the other key roles solidly, and Earl Holliman provides some amusing moments of comic relief as the spaceship's cook.

It all fits together very well, and it is an example of the best kind of science fiction movie. "Forbidden Planet" tells an interesting story with a lot of fascinating details, and at the same time it makes some worthwhile statements about humanity and history in the process.