Review of Arena

Arena (1989)
4/10
Silly gem from a silly era of film making
30 January 2022
What can be said about this film that already hasn't been said? In the grand scheme of things, this film is another in a logjammed era of apocalyptic or dystopic films. The 80s was rife for this sort of material, mainly due to the popularity of Mad Max. But how did this silly movie mix in with the rest of the dreck?

Well, first and foremost, they had a tough protagonist named Steve. Any time Steve is not meant as a silly derogatory character is a win in my book. Plus, despite the low budget, they did have some decent effects in the movie. The creature effects were pretty solid and despite this being a straight to video type affair, it really worked. I was also surprised to see how many actors from my favorite sci-fi shows were involved with the making of this film. It was definitely a "before they were famous" moment for me.

Of course, the silliness of the movie is going to restrict it to the Rifftrax world of comedic excellence, at least it was a well made train wreck that people can actually enjoy. It's not a miserable experience, which is key for any good-bad film out there.
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