Review of Lost in Space (1998) by Ben L — 08 Mar 2017

Decades ago when this movie came out I thought it was very good, and I rated it highly. Well, time and experience have made me a wiser man, because now I see some rather large flaws. I still think it's a relatively fun sci-fi adventure that tries to blend the feeling of Star Wars and Star Trek. I particularly enjoy the time travel aspects, and I think that is what made me like it so much back in the late 90s. One of the big problems with Lost in Space is that the CGI does not hold up at all. It is very shoddy, particularly when it comes to the living creatures. I do like the cast, and I think Gary Oldman is always a great villain. Even Matt LeBlanc didn't bother me because he was placed in the role of a cocky, womanizing soldier.

However, I think the movie struggled a bit because it was trying to fit into the mold of the original TV series too much. As a result they had to include a specific list of characters and both daughters were utterly useless in the plot. They are given moments to do things, but this film was so heavily focused on Will Robinson's relationship with his father that having these other kids in the way just needlessly cluttered the film with subplots. So we get the pointless romance to keep Heather Graham doing something, and we get annoying diary entries and a terrible CGI alien so we have a reason to look at Lacey Chabert from time to time.

The story is not a unique one, but it is interesting because of how they utilize time travel to explore what might happen. I'm a sucker for a good story of the kid who feels neglected by his father and therefore has to choose whether to follow in his footsteps or go along a darker path. Again, this is where Gary Oldman gets his moments to shine and he takes full advantage as the perfectly villainous Dr. Smith. There are some definite missteps and I don't know if the final resolution is satisfying, but it's not a completely terrible movie as I think it often gets labeled. Still, now that I've seen it again, I can't recommend it either.