This is a hard flick to review if not wanting to spoil it for any chumps out there that haven’t actually seen it yet. Is it the greatest flick in the world? No. But you still have to see it. Then you will finally REALLY understand all those memes. And not be a chump.
Drifter Roddy Piper, whose character name is insignificant, is an Observer as the cities seem to be in a downward spiral. Strange dichotomy though, of people doing really good and people doing...not so good. After leaving Denver because banks crashed and jobs dried up, he finds himself in a new town. Same situation. Still able to get some honest work, though. His new buddy Frank (Keith David) is kinda in the same situation, he has a family back in Detroit, just trying to work a job and make some money, he just wants to lay low. But there’s Roddy’s stupid Observins. And the fuckeries that are about. And some stupid sunglasses. And then tv and guns and bubble gum and more guns. Hooray for Society!
Is this a ham-fisted allegory? Aaaww, you betchore ass it is. Choices are made once a new “reality” is discovered. This predates The Matrix Pill choice by 11 years, but honestly there’s always been a choice for society as there will always be people in power manipulating the people without it. All that changes is what the window dressings are. Is that a saying? I think it’s a saying. Something about carpets matching the drapes, too, but that doesn’t really apply here. Except maybe to that freaky redhead chick with light blue eyes that may or may not be an albino. She kinda frightens me. Ultimately, Carpenter does a decent enough job here with a less-than-subtle amalgamations of drama, horror, sci-fi and street-fightin to do a little social commentarying. The Synth Western score doesn’t totally suck. And Roddy does a decent enough job as the Observer, fortunately they give him relatively minimal lines and a good fight scene in an alley. Strange to see how in 35+ years things seem kinda the same, but are totally different. Luckily for us, our reality is totally free of all that nonsense! Damn. Dodged that bullet, huh? Whew!
