Review of Waterworld (1995) by Robert H — 04 Apr 2015

Reteaming with his ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES director, Kevin Costner stars in a post-apocalyptic thriller set far in the future, in which Earth is submerged underwater due to the polar ice caps melting.

While there is a slight subtext about global warming and pollution, WATERWORLD is mostly an action star vehicle for Costner (and his massive ego). As far as big budget action/sci-fi goes, this film isn't too bad, though.

The production values are fairly high, special/visual effects are well-done, and the acting is mostly above par. However, the biggest hurdle to enjoying the film is getting past how utterly ridiculous the science is.

If you can do that, this film can be enjoyed for its visual spectacle and "silliness" factor. And there is quite a lot of silliness. The fashion sense of people who live in this water-covered world tends toward "Mad Max" levels of absurdity.

However, no one is more absurd than the "Smokers," the WATERWORLD equivalent of biker gangs who steal and plunder, use copious amounts of oil and, of course, smoke cigarettes...and often all at the same time.

Dennis Hopper plays their leader and is yet another great over-the-top villain in his resume. My only quibble is that he's mostly absent for the middle part of the film. But even beyond that, even past the "science," the script just isn't that good.

It did a decent job of setting up this world, even if it does require major suspension of disbelief, but it resorts to too many cliches to drive it forward. The worst of these is using the "child in peril" trope as the major conflict to be resolved in the third act.

Gene Siskel didn't care for it, and neither do I. Ultimately, when compared to other post-apocalyptic films, or even Kevin Costner's own work, WATERWORLD doesn't hold up too well. Still, it is an entertaining action flick as long as you check your brain at the door.