Spaced Invaders is a 1990 American sci-fi comedy film about a crew of Martians that hear a radio broadcast of Orson Welle’s ‘War of the Worlds’ coming from Earth. Thinking the Martian fleet is attacking Earth, they land their broken-down ship in a backwater mid-American town. As luck would have it, they land on Halloween and get mistaken for trick-or-treaters. Comedy ensues as the Martians attempt to be taken seriously as alien invaders…
Directed by Patrick Read Johnson from a screenplay co-written with Scott Lawrence Alexander.
The movie stars Douglas Barr, Royal Dano, Ariana Richards, J.J. Anderson, Gregg Berger, Wayne Alexander, Fred Applegate, Patrika Darbo, Tonya Williams, Ryan Todd, Barry O’Neill and Adam Hansley.
Reviews:
“Roger Ebert called Spaced Invaders “almost appallingly unwatchable” upon its initial release. That’s an accurate statement, and, frankly, age has not helped its case. While that may deter most viewers, it’s a glowing recommendation in my eyes. If you enjoy unintentionally bad movies like Mac and Me and campy genre pictures like Killer Klowns from Outer Space, you’ll have a blast with Spaced Invaders.” Broke Horror Fan
” …this intentionally cheesy sci-fi parody doesn’t offer much variety among its human characters, but its animatronic aliens — who look like sourpuss versions of Spielberg’s E.T. — are amusingly obnoxious. If only the film had spent a little less time making fun of dumb rednecks.” Entertainment Weekly
“It has some good model effects and some highly convincing heads for the Martians but the technical quality on show only tends to highlight the sheer waste that the rest of the film is. It would be more consolable if Spaced Invaders were simply a bad film made cheaply, but that it is a bad film made expensively makes it seem even more of a waste.” Moria
“Hollyweird doesn’t make cheesy movies like this one anymore. I miss that. Everything has to be injected with cynicism and petty appeals to the adults who, apparently, have to suffer through the experience rather than enjoying it. While it’s never grand, Spaced Invaders is still somehow an unforgettable trek aboard a bungled flying saucer.” Reel Reviews
“A half-hearted, plagiaristic kids’ sci-fi comedy, featuring one amusing idea which woefully fails to sustain an entire movie […] Despite the neat comic inversion of its central premise (this time it’s the spacemen who are taken in by Welles’ classic hoax), the film soon comes a cropper as the chaotic script descends into a mêlée of limp and disjointed knockabout gags.” Time Out
” …allows for jokes that are variously dumb, mildly funny, or hilarious. Spaced Invaders is ET meets Monty Python, with a little subtle Hollywood humor thrown in. And it is not as bad as it sounds […] Richards takes on her role as the new kid in town with a joyful mixture of innocence and precociousness.” TV Guide
“Since this is a thoroughly G movie, the action, dialogue and plot lack offense, but also lack substance. After a short while the visual fun of the mini-Martians diminishes and their constant yammering begins to wear […] One of the Spaced Invaders running gags is the spaceship’s inability to get off the ground. It’s an apt metaphor for the film as well.” The Washington Post, April 30, 1990
For YouTube content and more movie info click the page 2 link below
MOVIES & MANIA provides previews, our own film reviews and ratings, plus links to other online reviews from a wide variety of trusted sources in one handy web location. This is a genuinely independent website and we rely solely on the minor income generated by internet ads to pay for web costs and cover yet more movies. Please support us by not blocking ads. Thank you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a very tiny amount from any qualifying purchases.