Arena Movie Review

Remember old boxing melodramas about good-natured palookas, slimy opponents, gangsters, and dames? This Charles Band production puts those cliches in a garish sci-fi setting, with handsome Steve Armstrong battling E.T.s, femme fatales, and the galactic gambling syndicate to be the first human pugilistic champ in decades. A really cute idea (from the screenwriters of The Rocketeer), but the plot's sheer predictability makes one feel like throwing in the towel at the halfway point. Worth a look for the creature f/x by John Buechler and Screaming Mad George. Note Armin Shimerman before donning a Ferengi face in Star Trek: Deep Space 9.

1989 (PG-13) 97m/C IT Paul Satterfield, Claudia Christian, Hamilton Camp, Marc Alaimo, Armin Shimerman, Shari Shattuck, Jack Carter; D: Peter Manoogian; W: Danny Bilson, Paul DeMeo; M: Richard Band. VHS, LV COL