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BLAST FROM THE PAST
Directed by Hugh Wilson
Written by Bill Kelly & Hugh Wilson,
based on a story by Bill Kelly
Starring Christopher Walken, Sissy Spacek,
Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, Dave Foley
My Advice: Wait and Rent It
Rating:  out of
It's 1962 and Calvin Webber (Walken) finds the world as he knows
it embroiled in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Consumed by paranoia over those "damn commies," he designs
a monolith of a fallout shelter in his back yard to prepare for the "ultimate doom." And I mean monolith.
Remember BioDome??? Now just stick it underground. As a matter of fact, before you bury it, stuff Pauly Shore in
there too.
So the misguided Mr. Webber packs his shelter full of all of
the necessary items to keep himself, his Cleaver-esque wife (Spacek) and the Webber babe on the way (Fraser) well
kept for 35 years. As the sirens sound, he ushers them beneath terrafirma and, as fortune would have it, a jet
crashes atop the shelter. Daddy Webber is now so sure the big one has dropped that he slams shut the door and the
timer engages. Thirty-five years later - when it is finally safe - the doors unlock and out goes Adam (Fraser)
in search of supplies to keep them comfortable during this "radioactive" new time.
The premise of the film is cute. What woman doesn't like a little
star crossed lover action?? Fraser is wonderful as the lovable boob. Aside from Jim Carrey, who plays a loser as
well as this guy? He is gullible and naive to the extreme and proceeds about his radioactive new territory toting
a box of extremely rare baseball cards which he attempts to sell for the supplies that he needs. It's in a the
pawn shop of a disreputable dealer that he meets "Eve" (Silverstone) and the story begins.
While I adored Fraser (as I most often do whether he is bumbling
or dramatic) I was left flat by Silverstone once more. Without the quality of humor that she brought to Cher in
Clueless, I just can't seem to appreciate her theatrics. On a happier note, keep an eye out for Troy, Eve's "happy"
roommate, deftly played by Dave Foley of Kids in the Hall and News Radio fame. He almost steals the show.
Cute little story. Cute little acting. But see it on a cute
little screen.
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