A celestial alien being, struck down by military forces, inhabits the form of a widow’s deceased husband and forges a bond with her as he attempted to find his way back home.
What if E.T. were an adult? What if he had wound up meeting different people when he landed? And what if he looked like Jeff Bridges? You can find answers to all of these questions in Starman, a science fiction film that takes the basic plot structure of E.T. The Extraterrestrial and turns it into an adult themed film about love, loss, and the hopefulness for the human race. It’s romantic even when it shouldn’t be, beautifully executed in a way that feels masterful and unique, and manages to be positive and endearing without ever feeling cornball or cheesy. While it may not be wholly unique, and the plot feels derivative of other more widely known sci-fi films while also being slightly problematic with how it focuses on a woman being kidnapped by a male figure, Starman holds its own for a variety of reasons.
Reason one being that it’s directed by John Carpenter. The man can take even the most tired and mundane of a plot and turn it into something captivating and enthralling, simply because of his mastery with visual storytelling. Taking the script by Bruce A. Evans and Raynold Gideon and turning it into a truly phenomenal tale of otherworldly proportions, Starman excels most for its focus on the characters. As is the case with most any Carpenter film, it works because he makes us care, and that’s rare for a science fiction film about an alien who kidnaps a woman after taking the form of her dead husband.
Reason two is Jeff Bridges, who can light up even the biggest dog turd of a film with his charismatic and genuine performance, here playing the opposite of his future character in K-PAX. Reason three, and perhaps most important of all, though, is Karen Allen. She’s by far one of my favorite actors the world over, and in Starman, she finds the exact perfect balance of endearing strength and wounded woman, her grief and sadness only rivaled by her intense drive and emotional depth. Bridges and Allen have absolutely fiery chemistry together, too, which is 100% the reason why the plot works. Anything less and we’d be looking at a creepy kidnapper/Stockholm Syndrome love affair. And nobody wants that.
As is always the case with a Carpenter film, the effects feel well rounded and competent, even though they’ve aged a bit in the years gone by. Still, is never immersion breaking, and it’s actually heartwarming to see them now, like a glimpse into what the past thought the future would look like. The score by Jack Nitzsche is moving and touching, too, and the cinematography feels well thought out and distinctly its own.
Though the plotline may not be so welcomed by today’s standards, Starman is still a strong and enthralling science fiction affair that will leave you with warm fuzzies and an overwhelming sense of hope.