This film had such potential; it had a good cast and an interesting idea, but it didn't turn out to be so great. An eccentric Christopher Walkin and spouse Sissy Spacek are frightened by the Cuban missile scare so they take cover in a bomb shelter. At that exact moment, a crashing airplane that Walken mistakes as an atom bomb destroys their house. So Walken sets the bomb shelter door remain locked for 35 years (because that's how long it takes for the radiation to go down to a safe level.) While living there for so many years, they raise a child (Brendan Fraser) by 1960's standards and when it's time for the capsule to reopen, he is an ignoramus in a 1990's world. The first part of the film was executed well, but the remaining portions of the film are laced with dumb jokes, lacks plausibility, and there are only few entertaining scenes. Also, Alicia Silverstone's acting is terrible, which doesn't help.
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Starring:
Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, Christopher Walken, Sissy Spacek, Dave Foley, Joey Slotnick, Dale Raoul, Hayden Tank, Douglas Smith, Ryan Sparks, Don Yesso, Scott Thomson
Directed by:
Hugh Wilson
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1998 romance/comedy
Rated PG-13.
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Don Ignacio's score: B-