I don't care what people say, I like this movie DAMN IT!!! I first saw this when it came on the pay channels back in the 80's as a kid.
I thought it was entertaining then, and I still think it's entertaining now...(yes, I own it on dvd)
Are some parts cheesy and dated?? OF COURSE THEY ARE!!!
LOOK, IT WAS THE 80'S PEOPLE....YOU SNORTED COKE AND MADE RIDICULOUSLY CHEESY MOVIES!!!
During that time, America was on a coke fueled, self-love, ego-trip....and it definitely showed from Hollywood.
In case you don't agree, let's examine some of the period's ridiculous protagonists shall we??
1. Dar: As we've seen, a bastard child of royal blood....BORN TO A COW.
2. Doug Masters: A cocky, young high-school aged Air Force that just happens to rescue his fighter pilot father from the clutches of an evil 3rd world dictator.
How does he accomplish this??....ONLY BY PILOTING A FULLY ARMED F-16 INTO ENEMY TERRITORY DESTROYING EVERYTHING WITH WINGS OR WHEELS WITH ABSOLUTELY 0% AIR FORCE ACADEMY TRAINING.
3. And my personal favorite.....Alex Rogan: A whiney kid that lives in a trailer park where apparently getting the high-score on the local arcade game is the most fascinating and entertaining public spectacle since the miracles of Jesus Christ.
How does being the "Starfighter" champ of the trailer park benefit him??.....Well, OF COURSE HE CAN NOW LEAVE EARTH TO GO SAVE AN ALIEN RACE IN A FAR AWAY GALAXY BY CO-PILOTING A SPACECRAFT IN A DESPERATELY OUT-NUMBERED INTER-STELLAR SPACE BATTLE THAT SEVERAL HOURS PLAYING VIDEO GAMES HAVE COMPLETELY PREPARED HIM FOR.
See a pattern concerning the 80's developing here??.....We were in love w/ ourselves back then, and it showed on film.....at least until the cocaine high wore off.