With the possible exception of Jaws, no movie has spawned more imitations than Star Wars. Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar is the latest limb to spring from the Skywalker tree. The story follows a father-daughter team of scavengers who cross paths with evil mercenaries after possibly discovering the location of a mythical treasure.
The synopsis may sound simple, but there is a lot going on in Space Wars. Bringing a dead relative back to life and an evil galactic empire also figure into the story. And this is before the shifting alliances and cyborg get involved. It has a spoof-like feel to it, but Space Wars is not out to make people laugh. (There is some comedy injected throughout, but these moments are rarely funny. Some of the more dramatic moments, however…) That being said, the primary focus of the film is to deliver a fun spacefaring adventure.
For the most part, it is able to deliver. From the last second rescue during the cold open, Space Wars wisely never takes itself too seriously. This makes for a much more enjoyable watch since the performances are wildly erratic and the sci-fi jargon sounds silly more often than not.
Special effects are an important part of any science fiction movie. While never bad, the effects rarely go beyond SYFY level. Still, there are some nice creature designs and when ships jump into hyperspace, there is a good looking burst. Space Wars is aware of its limitations and places more focus on hand to hand combat, limiting the use of effects.
Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar is not the new Star Wars. But it does not want to be, either. While some scenes are a little too close to their inspiration, it has its own story to tell. A tighter plot would have allowed for stronger characters and more impactful emotional moments, but it is a fine watch for science-fiction fans.
Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar opens in theaters April 21
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