By Doug Levy
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 7, 1998

Into the great wide open

All right, for starters, I've never seen an episode of "Lost In Space," the cult classic '60s TV show.

So, you might say that makes me unqualified to judge "Lost In Space," the movie.

I disagree.

You see, because I had no preconceptions going into this film, not really knowing what to expect beyond a robot who says, "Danger, Will Robinson," I felt able to take it for what it was, at face value, as fans of the show might not be able to do.

Besides, just because I never went to medical school, does that mean I shouldn't be performing open heart surgery?

I mean, really.

Anyway, no one's going to argue that "Lost In Space" isn't fun to look at. This movie actually has some of the neatest special effects I've seen in a long time, possibly ever. When Will Robinson (played by ten-year-old Jack Johnson) suits up in the holographic simulation of the robot, it's just damn cool.

Body armor that springs up on its own out of your spacesuit is also really cool. Let's face it: these are the kinds of toys we all want to have.

Which reminds me, if this movie does well, the merchandising possibilities are endless.

More than 750 special effects were used in creating "Lost In Space," and that, along with the meticulous attention and degree of imagination used in set and costume design, shows through in almost every scene.

Jim Henson's Creature shop was responsible for a lot of the monsters and marvels in the movie as well, and the company's reputation will continue to precede itself.

These are the guys who brought us everything from The Muppets to "The Dark Crystal," and they're having no problems keeping up with the times or the latest technology. A gratuitous little monkey-creature called Blawp is proof of their ability to bring the strange and wonderful to life. True, it serves little purpose in the film, but that's besides the point.

Now, let me put your mind at ease on that burning question I know you're asking: Matt LeBlanc (yes, Joey from "Friends") really does turn in a good performance as Major Don West, the man responsible for piloting the luckless Robinson family into deep space.

You do get the feeling that you're seeing Joey playing West, as opposed to LeBlanc, but that's only because the character of Joey is also an actor, which is confusing, when you think about it, but no one's really asking you to think.

Especially because if you do think, you'll start to get really confused about the time travel element to "Lost In Space." Personally, I'm usually opposed to time travel. It always raises a lot more questions than it answers, and there's no exception here. Before the time travel comes into it, the plot is pretty engaging, what with fighting alien spiders, getting sabotaged by the evil Dr. Smith (played by the even more evil Gary Oldman), and of course, the witty repartee among the members of the Robinson clan.

Time travel doesn't spoil the film, but a different direction could have made it better. Maybe if they go back in time and re-write those scenes, they could . . .

OK. The rest of the cast: William Hurt is a phenomenal actor. He's got a screen presence that's often just spellbinding and has been the driving force in a number of excellent films, including "The Big Chill" and "Smoke." As Professor John Robinson, he combines his patented stoic reserve with a driving inner emotional conflict to become a truly empathic figure.

Heather Graham tests the waters of mainstream motion pictures as Judy Robinson, coming off as delightfully appealing as in her independent film ventures ("Swingers" and "Boogie Nights.")

In fact, with the exception of "Party Of Five" kid-star Lacey Chabert, the entire cast of "Lost In Space" is pretty darn likable. (Sorry, but that little girl is just too annoying for my taste.)

Oh, and of course, Oldman, too. But he's not supposed to be likable. That's why they call him the "bad guy."

The movie's script is much more developed and rounded than most other sci-fi fare in today's market ("Alien Resurrection" or "Starship Troopers," for example). It's full of witty, lively dialogue, lots of character interaction, and believable (within the context of the film) situations where the viewer will honestly care how they turn out.

So, the Robinson family is taking a trip to a place no one has really ever been before. Why not go along for the ride?