Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Deep Space Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 12, 2019

I’m sure when Ridley Scott directed “Alien,” he had no idea what kind of influence his film would have on B-movies from the 1980s. There have been many riffs on the 1979 classic throughout the decade, with co-writer/director Fred Olen Ray trying his luck with 1988’s “Deep Space,” which merges elements from “Alien” and “Aliens” to help inspire a supercop adventure that involves a monstrous menace. Ray doesn’t have much in the way of a budget to bring serious ghoulishness to life, but he does have actor Charles Napier, with the veteran character actor attempting to deliver swagger and cynicism to his role as the detective on the trail of a violent biological weapon. Napier is fun to watch, along with the rest of the cast, but creepiness is certainly not there for Ray, who seems happy just to piece together a coherent picture with multiple creature encounters.

Military scientists have discovered a satellite containing a biological weapon has returned to Earth, crashing near Los Angeles, releasing a deadly creature that resembles a meteor, but remains capable of killing anything around it. On the case is Detective McLemore (Charles Napier), a no- nonsense cop who joins partner Jerry (Ron Glass) on the hunt, with the pair setting out to understand what the mysterious killer actually is, and destroy it to protect innocent lives.

Napier is the reason to remain with “Deep Space,” putting in the effort to keep McLemore the cool cat of the production, with the cop’s general hostility to superiors (Bo Svenson plays the equally fatigued captain) and criminals resulting in a few amusing scenes of confrontation and action. He’s even catnip to the ladies, with colleague Sandbourn (Ann Turkel) unable to control herself around this example of leathered masculinity. It’s almost a shame there’s a creature to deal with in “Deep Space,” as the saga of McLemore and his disdain for all almost coming off as a decent pilot for a T.V. cop show, giving Napier a chance to showcase his comfort with mild acts of police work, trading quips with Jerry.

Deep Space Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation explores the modest production achievements of "Deep Space" with reasonable clarity from an older scan. Detail delivers on monster specifics, with goopy particulars on the invader compelling. The human side of things offers textures as well, providing aged facial surfaces and decent costuming. Set decoration is also open for study. Colors are satisfactory, with the heightened lighting of "Deep Space" appreciable, delivering brighter primaries. Skintones are natural. Delineation is comfortable, preserving evening activity, which makes up a large portion of the runtime. Source is in decent shape, but some blotching is periodically detected.

Deep Space Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA track encounters some stretches of sibilance, periodically diminishing dialogue exchanges. Performances do come through as intended, with clenched-jawed banter easy to follow. Scoring is simplistic but present, offering a sharper synth sound. Atmospherics are basic, handling street encounters and office activity. Sound effects are defined to satisfaction, securing monster roars and gunfire. Hiss is present throughout the listening event, and occasional popping is detected.

Deep Space Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features co-writer/director Fred Olen Ray.

• And a Trailer (1:49, SD) is included.

Deep Space Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Unfortunately, there is a monster in "Deep Space," and one that causes a lot of trouble for curious types trying to understand what it is. Scenes of slaughter are delivered periodically by Ray, who does a fine job selling the limitations of the special effects, pitting a Xenomorph-like menace against human prey. There's a certain level of B-movie escapism to enjoy, but the sameness of the material tends to wear on patience levels, as true excitement eludes Ray, who's just trying to keep the production together. He's good with actors and strives to deliver something awful with the main threat, but "Deep Space" isn't weird enough to charm or harsh enough to frighten, remaining a muted viewing experience that's supported by a seasoned cast, making pure acting moments more compelling than the central creature.