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“I wish I could have taught her MY kind of biology!”

Rating:
Flow: *****
Special Effects: ****
Character Development: **
Entertainment Value: *****

Review:
The film starts out with a Beast of Yucca Flats-style monologue sure to impress any space exploration era American, minus the “Wait, what does that have to do with…? Nevermind…” The year is 2001, and humanity has evolved past all of the fighting and poverty that haunted it in the 1960s. The United Nations is the sole governing body of the world, and the only hunger is now for knowledge. The UN space fleet (say what?) sends a crew off to Uranus to look for life. We’ve already been to a bunch of other planets, so why not check out the giant yellow ice ball?

Uranus looks kind of like Swamp Thing’s head. I can look past that, though, because the dialogue is nowhere near as bad as it should be, considering that Journey to the Seventh Planet is billed as a classic B-Movie. As soon as they achieve orbit, a lens flare invades the cockpit and causes some sort of time warp. But there is no time to worry now, because we’ve gotta land!!!

As their rocket ship settles down onto the surface of Uranus, it transforms into some sort of alpine forest, and all atmospheric tests indicate “normal” (i.e. Earth-like). So, the crew ventures out. One guy feels he’s been here before: it is just like where he grew up! No one believes him until he leads them to a stream with a large stone.

From here on out, things get weird. There is no life anywhere. Even the plants are not really “alive.” An apple tree appears out of nowhere. They encounter a force field, and things from their imagination start coming to life. What is on the other side? Is it good or evil? They must find out the nature of the inhabitants of Uranus!

Considering that this movie was made the year after Reptilicus (review coming soon – trust me, it is awefulsome), I can’t believe that it was made with more or less the same cast and crew! I genuinely enjoyed this movie. It kept my attention and imagination throughout. The premise reminds me of that old Star Trek episode where everyone goes to the Shore Leave planet and Bones sees the White Rabbit, only better.

Overall, I’d give this B-Movie a solid 5 star rating for entertainment value. No worries, there is plenty to make fun of for the aspiring heckler, but it is not a requirement.

Links!:
Trailer