Lost in Space (PG-13, 1998)

Danger, Will Robinson! The United Global Space Force is sending Professor John Robinson (William Hurt) and his family into space to colonize a distant planet. Professor Robinson is so wrapped up in the mission he never spends time with his children, much to the frustration of his son Will, a budding young science genius. When terrorist Dr. Zachary Smith (Gary Oldman) sabotages the mission, the Jupiter 2 is sent into an unknown corner of the universe. After encountering a spaceship filled with giant carnivorous spiders, they crash land on a planet where time is distorted. The distortion is caused by a time machine invented by an embittered adult Will Robinson who, in this reality, is the lone survivor of the family's mission. Dr. Smith, who has mutated into a spider creature, plans to use the machine to launch an attack on the Earth.

The special effects are impressive and exciting, but can't make up for an unfocused story and characters who fail to involve the viewer. With an all-star cast, hostile alien spiders, self-destructing planets, and state-of-the-art special effects, this big-budget remake of the goofy 1960s TV series should have been great fun. Unfortunately the movie's grim mood squashes the humor and adventure. Nearly every aspect of LOST IN SPACE, from Penny's outrage over being forced to leave the Earth, to barren planets and abandoned spaceships, emphasizes this harsh approach. The dark tone culminates with the confrontation with the older Will. Without the rollicking excitement of many space epics like Star Wars, these dark themes of loneliness, death, and abandonment may leave viewers feeling more depressed than uplifted

There are, however, some bright spots amidst the misery. Gary Oldman gives a delightfully smarmy performance as Dr. Smith, and it's fun to hear Dick Tufeld (the voice of the robot in the original series) once again exclaim "Danger, Will Robinson!" Nevertheless, the film will probably only be of interest to sci-fi buffs.