Customer Reviews

2001: A Space Travesty [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

The first part was promising, but the rest became very messy with a confusing plot and poor direction. The DVD release is not widescreen, for some unfathomable reason. A disappointment.

Most of the previous reviewers of this film are split into two extreme camps, even those that have been long-standing fans of Leslie Nielsen: loved it or hated it. I've enjoyed his past films, including some that are serious, and I enjoyed this one largely because at present I happen to be interested in the concept of PARODIES. Obviously a four- or five-star rating of a parody does not mean the same thing as a similar rating of an adventure film, a romance film, a tragic film, or whatever.

Whereas Mel Brooks's SPACEBALLS was a rifle-shot parody of Lucas's STAR WARS, this film is more of a scatter-gun parody of science fiction films in general. And both kinds of parodies "require" several things of their viewers if optimum enjoyment to be received: (a) a fairly detailed prior knowledge of the film(s) being parodied, (b) the patience to tolerate a wide range of jokes of wide-ranging quality (some pretty lame; some even deceased), and (c) an ability to get silly and laugh at silly things (including, often, potty humor). In this case, while (a) and (b) may have been problems for some people, I suspect that a number of viewers were not able get in the mood because of the "times" we're living in--deeply anxious and depressing ones, for a wide variety of reasons I DON'T need to list.

I personally did not notice any lessening of Nielsen's ability to perform goofy comedy, nor did I think the script was inferior to other parodies he's been in. Further, Ophélie Winter struck me as a delightful plus to the cast: without her, I'd have rated the film just three stars.

Soooo--if you're in a horrible mood, don't expect this film to be your ticket to escape to happy La-la Land. It MAY be that, but don't count on it.

Like a lot of goofy films, it's best seen at home with friends or family, so the jokes can be shared, replayed, discussed, explained, etc. together--AND with comfort-food snacks and (perhaps) a six-pack o'beer or a bottle of cheap sweet wine to help you meet the silliness halfway. Peace on Earth.

Poor Leslie Nielson. After making a couple of funny movies with the Zucker Bros (NAKED GUN series, AIRPLANE) he is now stuck with low grade spoofs. SPY HARD, DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT, WRONGFULLY ACCUSED and now this, which is worse than any of the aforementioned. I won't bother going into detail because this is just not funny. In fact, its downright boring. Arthur C Clarke should sue the makers of this movie for playing on the title of 2001. If you're already dead from the neck up you may find something of merit in this movie, if not don't waste your time.

It was certainly a travesty paying good money for this dodo.

I bought this DVD primarily due to Leslie Nielson and wished that I hadn't. Right from the start from the poor send up of Dirty Harry sending his car through the store window to the end this is not funny.

This ground is not new having already been covered by the excellent Spaceballs, but this pales in comparison.

Some of the tricks of Spaceballs are apparent as there are representatives of different movie life-forms among the aliens.

Try as I might I cannot find anything positive to say about this movie. Leslie Nielson does not need the damage to his reputation.

On the front cover the blurb says 'the most outer spaced-out comedy ever'. Clearly the author of that remark is spaced out on something and is not an astronaut.

The only good thing about this movie is that it leads one to revisit Nielson's past glories.

All these people giving 1 or 2 star ratings must have been trying to enjoy the Wall Street Journal while the movie was playing. Come on it is a Leslie Nielsen movie! The humor is simplistic and usually stupid. It is not meant to be intelligent, it is meant to appeal to the simplest of minds. In order to enjoy it you have got just lighten up and laugh!

I think my title about sums it up. Whatever happened to the man who excelled in 'Police Squad', starred in 'The Naked Gun', and made us laugh in 'Airplane'?

I've always been a big fan of Leslie Nielsen, but the latest few flicks I've seen that starred him make me want to grab my 'The Naked Gun' boxed set and see if I'm truly watching the same man.

And just when you thought things could not get worse than 'Dracula, Undead and loving it' or 'Wrongfully Accused', 'A Space Travesty' comes along.

Nielsen seems a shadow of the man he used to be. Of course, in this flick the script isn't exactly helping, the jokes are plain lame, the rest of the cast performs poorly, and a flock of the worst lookalikes ever (including Bill and Hillary Clinton, Bush Senior, Madonna, Hulk Hogan, The Three Tenors, and Prince) don't exactly help.

Even the 'jokes' in the end credits are poor. PLEASE, PLEASE, can the old AZA clique be reunited so that Nielsen can shine again as he once did? Nielsen showed himself to be an excellent actor, that unfortunatly just cannot save a movie by himself...

Travesty is right. This is one of those movies that tries so hard to be funny that it becomes terrible. It could have been so much better if the writers had done anything right.

Leslie Nielsen stars in this, but he is hampered by both bad writing and an awful supporting cast. Both throw his comic timing off, which makes it impossible for him to showcase his talents. Everything in this is lame, from the plot to the acting to the special effects. Scenes that are supposed to be funny are really more stupid.

It's sad that Leslie Nielsen has been pushed into doing garbage like this. He'd be much better served in a film that can better use his comic talents.

Leslie Nielsen is usually a very funny comedic actor, but "2001: A Space Travesty" is exactly what its name says: a travesty of acting, writing and directing.

This review is of the Comedy Central broadcast. I'm only able to review part of this movie. I managed to get about half way through before I became bored and changed the channel. There is absolutely nothing about the first half of this movie to recommend. It failed to make me laugh even once. It even failed to coax a smile out of me. I can't find a single redeeming thing to say about this drivel, except that it only wasted one hour of my life rather than the two.

I can without any qualms say that this is the worst movie I have ever seen. With the exception of the very last scene and the end credits I did not laugh. I think the most entertaining thing about the movie is the cover. If I could give a rating of ZERO STARS I would.