Innerspace (1987) – Film Review

Director: Joe Dante
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Meg Ryan
Certificate: PG

By Sarah Morgan

Ah, the 1980s… a time when hair was big and shoulder pads even bigger. Movie concepts seemed to be higher than ever too, with special effects-laden productions and/or outlandish tales hitting screens around the world. What a time to be growing up and becoming a film fan!

I was in my early teens when Innerspace was released in cinemas, but I didn’t see it until it came out on video. It seemed like a lot of fun back then, but I hadn’t had a repeat viewing in the years since. That changed when Arrow Films’ Blu-ray edition dropped through my letterbox.

“Devious forces”

Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, it was directed by Joe Dante, who was – and still is – best known for Gremlins, but was coming off the back of Explorers, which may have starred a young River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke, but was a huge flop. Dante needed a hit, and Innerspace wasn’t it, despite Spielberg’s presence – it didn’t find an audience until, like me, audiences discovered it on video.

The plot is clearly inspired by the 1966 movie Fantastic Voyage, in which a submarine crew is shrunk down and sent into the body of a scientist in the hope they can repair his damaged brain. This time around, it’s boozy, charismatic if unreliable pilot Tuck Pendleton who is miniaturised.

His mission is merely to explore the insides of a rabbit as part of an experiment. However, devious forces have got wind of the project and want to get their hands on the technology behind it.

This results in Tuck accidentally being injected into hypochondriac supermarket worker Jack Putter and, predictably, chaos ensues as the villains try to get their hands on Jack and Tuck. However, Tuck’s presence gives Jack a strength he didn’t know he had – his admiration for his new friend’s journalist girlfriend Lydia helps too, and together, well… you can probably guess the rest.

“Enjoyable”

Second time around, I still found it extremely enjoyable, but not without its faults. It certainly took me back to my formative years. Dennis Quaid makes a charming lead; he met Meg Ryan, who plays Lydia, on set and they later married. Incidentally, they named their son Jack – was this in honour of one of the film’s characters?

Actually, it’s the Jack role I have a problem with. Martin Short, then best known for his appearances on Saturday Night Live, is more annoying than funny. Somebody capable of giving a more subtle performance would have been far better instead of the constant mugging Short delivers. And as he’s in almost every scene, it’s a lot to put up with.

The supporting cast is better, with Kevin McCarthy, Fiona Lewis and Robert Picardo as the baddies. Frankly, I’d have preferred it if they’d got their hands on Jack.

Sarah Morgan( Writer )

Sarah Morgan studied film journalism at post-graduate level with the BFI and has been writing about TV and film for PA Media’s newspaper, magazine and new media customers since 1996. She’s also written for a wide range of other publications, both online and in print, including the book Offbeat and Intermission magazine, and is a regular contributor to the Talking Pictures TV podcast. When she isn’t watching movies, she’s collecting and reading vintage crime and horror paperback books or, for her sins, watching her beloved Sheffield Wednesday.

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