It's easy to forget the fact that "Wing Commander" is a decent film with professional level acting, writing and production values -even if this is strictly by-the-numbers hackwork - until you see a really dumb movie in the Sci Fi Space Opera genre such as "Fatal Conflict","Star Crash" or "Message From Space". Compared to Grade D efforts like those turkeys, "Wing Commander" is at least smooth and easy to take and offers enough eye candy for the fan boy who can't get enough of his space fighters, laser beams and alien races.
But in comparison to the Big Boys of the genre ("Star Wars", the "Star Trek" franchise) or even under-sung classics ("Enemy Mine","The Last Starfighter", etc), "Wing Commander" is a nothing more than a wanna-be.
Almost every story element and character of "Wing Commander" seems to be lifted whole from other, more original efforts. The Kilrathi seem to be taken directly from Larry Niven's "Man/Kzin War" stories. The Prinze character is a Rent-A-Center version of Luke Skywalker. His hotheaded best friend is an amalgamation of every sidekick EVER in Space Opera along with quite a bit of "Mongoose" from "Top Gun" thrown in. His flight commander is the female character from "Top Gun" and VERY little else. One of the battle scenes (where the Tiger Claw must hide from the Kilrathi fleet) is a blatant rip-off/tribute to every WWII submarine flick ever made. And the list goes on.
There is "A" level professional level talent involved here (and yes, I count Freddie Prinze as a "A" level, even if I don't care for his screen persona), but they all seem to be in in purely for in it the paycheck. Seriously, how can you have Jurgen Prochnow, David Warner and David Suchet - each of whom have carried entire movies - and not produce something memorable? The answer: "Paycheck." How can you have talented, interesting character actors like Lillard and Karyo in almost every scene and completely waste them? I don't know, but I suspect: "Paycheck."
Even as hackwork, though, the movie is OK...kind of the Space Opera equivalent of the dozens of "Shaw Brothers/Golden Harvest" martial arts pieces which the USA Network used to air on "Kung Fu Theater". Uncritical fans of the genre will still find all the standard elements they expect from these movies, and a few polished touches here and there:The clunky, bristly designs of the space ships makes them look like heavy duty battle-wagons, not space age toys. The script does generate a little suspense here and there with its depictions fleets manoeuvrings to get the best advantage. David Warner and David Suchet are incapable of delivering a dull or inept line. Tcheky Karyo's light touch and charming accent are almost enough to save any scene he is in. Lillard is his usual fire-hose of manic energy, even if his character is a complete tool. The depiction of the Kilrathi warships popping one by one out of the 'warp hole', only to be torn to pieces by weapons of the human fleet, has a nice heft and rhythm to it that is viscerally satisfying.
But whatever you do, do NOT come into "Wing Commander" expecting anything new or fresh, or even very impressive.
But in comparison to the Big Boys of the genre ("Star Wars", the "Star Trek" franchise) or even under-sung classics ("Enemy Mine","The Last Starfighter", etc), "Wing Commander" is a nothing more than a wanna-be.
Almost every story element and character of "Wing Commander" seems to be lifted whole from other, more original efforts. The Kilrathi seem to be taken directly from Larry Niven's "Man/Kzin War" stories. The Prinze character is a Rent-A-Center version of Luke Skywalker. His hotheaded best friend is an amalgamation of every sidekick EVER in Space Opera along with quite a bit of "Mongoose" from "Top Gun" thrown in. His flight commander is the female character from "Top Gun" and VERY little else. One of the battle scenes (where the Tiger Claw must hide from the Kilrathi fleet) is a blatant rip-off/tribute to every WWII submarine flick ever made. And the list goes on.
There is "A" level professional level talent involved here (and yes, I count Freddie Prinze as a "A" level, even if I don't care for his screen persona), but they all seem to be in in purely for in it the paycheck. Seriously, how can you have Jurgen Prochnow, David Warner and David Suchet - each of whom have carried entire movies - and not produce something memorable? The answer: "Paycheck." How can you have talented, interesting character actors like Lillard and Karyo in almost every scene and completely waste them? I don't know, but I suspect: "Paycheck."
Even as hackwork, though, the movie is OK...kind of the Space Opera equivalent of the dozens of "Shaw Brothers/Golden Harvest" martial arts pieces which the USA Network used to air on "Kung Fu Theater". Uncritical fans of the genre will still find all the standard elements they expect from these movies, and a few polished touches here and there:The clunky, bristly designs of the space ships makes them look like heavy duty battle-wagons, not space age toys. The script does generate a little suspense here and there with its depictions fleets manoeuvrings to get the best advantage. David Warner and David Suchet are incapable of delivering a dull or inept line. Tcheky Karyo's light touch and charming accent are almost enough to save any scene he is in. Lillard is his usual fire-hose of manic energy, even if his character is a complete tool. The depiction of the Kilrathi warships popping one by one out of the 'warp hole', only to be torn to pieces by weapons of the human fleet, has a nice heft and rhythm to it that is viscerally satisfying.
But whatever you do, do NOT come into "Wing Commander" expecting anything new or fresh, or even very impressive.