Le souffle du futur

A lot of people have panned Slipstream because it is boring and lumbering, which is true to some extent. The movie is pretty good for the first 45 minutes or so, then hits a wall and gets really stupid, until finally it ends well. I enjoyed this film, flaws and all. I liked the look of the film, and the atmosphere. I liked how the characters moved through this broken down civilization where cops are more killers than anybody else. The plot involves an adventurer who kidnaps a fugitive from a bounty hunter in hopes of turning him in and collecting the ransom for himself. What he doesn't know is that the bounty hunter (Mark Hamill, in his best post-Star Wars role) is now coming after him. If the movie had stayed on this storyline the entire movie it would have been a truly enjoyable film. Unfortunately, it goes off in many different directions and becomes convoluted. I just wish that the writers could have come up with a better script, one that didn't wander and one that was clever and interesting.

Nevertheless, I did like this film. I really got into the characters. The late Bob Peck plays the fugitive, who doesn't seem the least bit dangerous, despite the fact that he supposedly killed a man (There is a twist pertaining to this character, but I won't reveal it, even though nobody will care). Peck will be recognized by most as the hunter from Jurassic Park. He was a good actor, and I'm disappointed that he was not in more films. Bill Paxton's character is a little shallow but still likable. Hamill is also good as the bounty hunter. These characters prevent the film from becoming an all-out bore. The haunting score by Elmer Bernstein also helps.

My favorite scene was when Paxton first captures Peck and both are flying through the Slipstream for the first time. This scene is full of wonder and is shot perfectly. I only wish the rest of the film were like this. I would really have liked it then. It could have been a classic. As it is though, it is just a lesser known vehicle with moments that are better than the whole. I recommend it to anyone, but it might be too boring for some. If you fast forward some stuff, then it might help.

To read some comments on this movie you'd think it was a 1989 version of The Avengers (ie, really bad). I saw it at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on the first (and probably only week) of release. With good stereo and in the right surroundings I thought it was a great, highly different vision of the future. Yes, there was a lot of Mad Max in there and okay some of the visual effects were a little ropey, but it did at least boast two of my fave actors - the late, great Bob Peck and a pre-Titanic Bill Paxton. The 10 years since it was made has seen scant screenings on British TV or otherwise. A pity as there are some great moments such as the scene where Paxton attempts to rescue Peck from a kite (I kid you not) and the moody finale which was intriguing. On the whole, well made, erratic entertainment that loses everything on the small screen but features some interesting ideas, even if not all of it works. And compared to The Avengers, it looks like the greatest movie ever made.

Slipstream is, in my opinion, a very under-rated movie, with an excellent cast. Bill Paxton is entertaining in his role as the unlikely hero, Bob Peck is superb in his role as Byron, the fugitive -- Even F. Murray Abraham and the great Ben Kingsley make appearances in this unlikely post-apocalyptic action film. But the best performance of all, in my opinion, came from Mark Hamill, playing a very nasty cop. I've never seen Mark Hamill play the "bad guy," and he did an EXCELLENT job convincing me that he was not only a sociopathic jerk, but that he was not Mark Hamill. In fact, I didn't even realize who he was until the third time I saw this film - his performance is excellent, and different than anything else I've seen him do.

Unfortunately, the film has its problems. The plot suffers from some cheesy moments, the music is overbearingly loud, and while it is well orchestrated and very majestic, it's often a bit too majestic for what's going on. There are also some long scenes that could have been shortened or even cut to the benefit of the film. The ending is disappointing - abrupt and more than a bit ridiculous. Add to this that nearly every copy I've seen is on low-grade VHS, recorded at a slow speed.

This said, overall, the movie is entertaining, and interesting. If it was based on a book, I'd love to read it. I came away from the movie wishing I knew more about the characters involved, and curious about what would come next for the main characters. The movie kept my interest, and I did watch it again - several times.

Slipstream is far better than the review rankings indicate. The film is a nice break from today's frayed sci-fi kill the monster or be killed plot lines. Slipstream fits in more with the likes of Asimov, Bradbury, or Dick. Sure, there are some familiar plot points like a dystopian near future, environmental devastation, societal collapse, human movements back into nature (actually, sounds a bit like right now, huh?). Intriguing, though, is the common mode of transport, ultralights. With the shifting of the jet stream to cover more of the planet and closer to the surface, the pilots use these "slipstreams" to get around as ground transport is nearly obsolete. And these elements are kept nicely in the background, providing a tapestry for the story, which is a basic cop chase, double crosses, introspection, and interesting character (one of which is an android) interactions. It is worth watching the film for the flying scenes and the key exterior locations alone -- Cappadoccia, Turkey, and Malham Rocks UK. Director Steven Lisberger (Tron), Music Elmer Bernstein, Cast includes Bob Peck, Mark Hamill, Kitty Aldridge, Bill Paxton, Robbie Coltrane, Ben Kingsley, F. Murray Abraham? Come on! Get it!

Slipstream is one of those underrated sci fi movies that deserves more attention.it has a very good cast;mark hammil(star wars)bill Paxton(titanic)bob peck(Jurassic park)f Murray Abraham(amadaus)and a brief appearance by the great Ben Kingsley.i seen slipstream recently and enjoyed it.i wont give away the plot but like one reviewer said it must be watched a second time to be really appreciated.its pure sci fi. and mark hammil is outstanding as the tough bounty hunter a stretch from playing Luke sky walker in the first 3 star wars films.bill Paxton plays a wise cracking cocky would be bounty hunter.slipstream is always on those cheaply priced sci fi DVD collection dvds.i found it for 5 dollars from st Clair vision called tales from the future,it also features metropolis,things to come,lost world,journey to the center of time,unknown world,day time ended,frozen alive,and in the year2889. not bad for 5 bucks too bad it contains a badly edited print of metropolis.but for 5 bucks you do get some pretty good films.i give slipstream 7 out of 10.fact;slipstream was never released theatrically in the USA.