Megaforce (1982)

Directed by Hal Needham. Starring Barry Bostwick, Edward Mulhare, Persis Khambatta, Michael Beck, Henry Silva, George Furth. [PG]

The tagline promises that “there has never been a super hero like Ace Hunter,” and thank goodness for that. Played by Bostwick, he has a helmet of feathered hair that pairs poorly with his silky beard, and wears a gold jumpsuit that frequently showcases a bulge and a wedgie. He pops a few wheelies on his motorcycle, fires rockets out the front that blow up a bunch of desert acreage, and, in the movie’s most hilarious scene, gets it to soar through the air in ways that Evel Knievel could have only dreamed. The second most hilarious scene is an extended “dance” between Bostwick and Khambatta as they skydive for what feels like hours (which must be more time than it took to set up the cheap close-up effects). Theirs is a relationship that starts out antagonistic, immediately turns romantic, then is all but discarded for the second half of the movie. Needless to say, both halves of the movie are truly embarrassing beyond camp value; shoddy, explosion-heavy action without style, purpose or consequence (and repetitive, to boot). Story involves two warring nations in the future, but it rarely makes a lick of sense, and it’s hard to care anyway. Kiss a thumb, then turn it downward—it stinks.

18/100