In the wake of 'Star Wars,' many film companies tried their hand at some sort of 'big budget space opera.' Most failed. Few could ever create such a rich and memorable universe. However, in the case of the - now 'cult favourite' - 'The Ice Pirates,' it actually managed to produce something truly memorable, if a little bizarre.
The premise is pretty straight forward for a science fiction movie: in a far-flung galaxy water has become the most hard to come by commodity and a big, evil planet controls the supply, therefore leaving the rest of the universe to become subservient to them. What makes it different is that 'The Ice Pirates' is an outright comedy. It never takes itself seriously and is all the better for it. For a start, it sort of shoots down its own 'serious' plot by having - literally - 'pirates in space.' When you think of pirates your mind probably brings up images of Johnny Depp in 'Pirates of the Caribbean.' And you wouldn't be far wrong here either. You have effectively, long-haired, blouse-wearing dandies with cutlasses hijacking spaceships.
You could probably ask questions like, 'Why do the space pirates use cutlasses and swords when the people they're fighting all have laser guns?' But if you really want to dwell on plot inaccuracies such as that, then you're not going to get much out of a film like this.
For a start you'd be missing the amazing eighties sets and costumes. Seriously, for a low budget film the sets are amazing and it's a testament to what can be achieved with 'practical' effects over vast (and, in my opinion, unrealistic) computer-generated landscapes.
The cast all play their parts well. I didn't really think anyone really stood out. You may notice both Ron Perlman and Angelica Huston's names on the cast list, but they're not really in it as much as you might expect and their performances are not an indication of what they're capable of. The real 'stars' of the film are the armies of robots both the pirates and those they're robbing from seem to possess. Despite the droids never actually talking they steal every scene they're in due to their slapstick and crazy antics.
If you're in the mood for a well thought-out space opera that doesn't take itself too seriously and has all the rich and varied style and flair of 'Star Wars,' but played for laughs rather than drama, then check this one out. It's a well-deserved cult classic from yesteryear. It really does have scenes that will stay with you forever... even if it's just what the bad-guys do with captured pirates on a conveyor belt - OUCH!
