Innerspace: Joe Dante's Classic Sci-Fi Adventure Gets an Upgrade (Limited Edition 4K)

The Film:

Throughout his remarkable career, director Joe Dante has given us many films that have gone on to be considered classics, including "Gremlins," "Gremlins 2: The New Batch," "The Howling," and "The 'Burbs." However, another one of these classics that perhaps doesn't get mentioned as much as his other work is a little sci-fi adventure called "Innerspace," which has had a mixed reception from critics over the years, but which found great success with audiences when it came out nearly 40 years ago. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that it found that success when it came out on home video, for after not doing too well in theaters, it was the home release that significantly boosted its numbers and put it over the top.

Speaking of home releases, to celebrate its incredible four-decade milestone next year, Arrow Films is unleashing a new stunning 4K upgrade of the fan-favorite classic and packing it with an impressive set of extras (commentaries, a making-of, and behind the scenes footage), so as usual, it's time for us to once again delve into the past to see if all that incredible success was deserved (which included an Oscar for Best Visual Effects) or if its ho-hum critical reception was a little closer to the mark.

As the film opens, we meet Lt. Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid), a pilot that seems somewhat unstable, but nonetheless volunteers himself for a dangerous experiment in which he'll be miniaturized inside a pod and then injected into a rabbit. However, right before this is to happen, the lab is attacked and a vital computer chip stolen. Luckily, one of the scientists is able to escape with the syringe containing Tuck & the pod, which he's forced to inject into grocery clerk Jack Putter (Martin Short) before succumbing to his wound. Tuck is eventually able to communicate with Jack and explain the situation to him, leading them to bring in Tuck's former girlfriend, reporter Lydia Maxwell (Meg Ryan), as they attempt to take on the mastermind behind the theft, Victor Scrimshaw (Kevin McCarthy). Will this unlikely pair be able to recover the chip in time and return Tuck to normal before he runs out of air?

"Innerspace" is another instance where you kind of have to acknowledge the elephant in the room right at the start, that being that this is obviously a playful riff on the classic 1966 sci-fi adventure "Fantastic Voyage." It's a pretty hard fact to deny (not that anyone is), but what's more important is that screenwriters Jeffrey Boam and Chip Proser merely use that as a launching point to tell their own unique, absurd tale of what could happen should experiments with such technology go awry. That is to say that this is far from a rip-off, and more of an homage with its own charming twist.

The film is indeed pretty ridiculous, and remarkably absurd (not that "Fantastic Voyage" didn't have wild moments while trying to maintain its realism), but that's what makes it rather entertaining. It doesn't waste time trying to explain how any of it works, it just asks you to go along with it on its crazy "little" adventure, throwing in plenty of compelling narrative developments along the way that help keep its momentum going. It does perhaps run a little long at two hours, the effect you can feel somewhat as it continues adding to the story, but luckily it doesn't affect it too much thanks to the overall fun factor that the film is able to maintain throughout. Plus you get the incredible aforementioned Oscar-winning special effects, which still hold up quite well to this day.

When it comes right to it, it's not hard to see why "Innerspace" found its true audience when it became available for everyone to watch at home. It could be that it simply looked a little too goofy for those who were faced with the choice of what to see in the theater, leading them to opt for something else at the time, but then discovering it as a rental. It may not be mentioned as much as some of Dante's other works (discussions of his filmography almost always seem to revolve around "Gremlins"), but it really should be, and now that it's getting a marvelous 4K upgrade, hopefully it will lead to more people discovering it and giving it a chance to shine.

Video/Audio:

"Innerspace" comes to 4K in a 1.85:1, 2160p Ultra High Definition transfer of stunning quality. The new restoration from the original 35mm negative has the film looking new again, presenting a beautifully sharp & clear picture throughout the entire two-hour duration. Likewise, the various audio tracks (2.0 original lossless stereo, original 70mm 6-track mix in DTS-HD MA 4.1 surround, and newly remixed Dolby Atmos) are all outstanding, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in excellent quality. Overall, Arrow Films has done a marvelous job in both departments for the film's new upgrade.

Special Features:

Audio Commentary by Film Critic Drew McWeeny (New)

Audio Commentary with Director Joe Dante, Producer Michael Finnell, Visual Effects Supervisor Dennis Muren and Actors Kevin McCarthy & Robert Picardo

Shrinkage: The Making of Innerspace (59 Minutes) (New): A documentary featuring newly filmed interviews with director Joe Dante, producer Michael Finnell, visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren, visual effects artists Harley Jessup and Bill George, and actor Robert Picardo.

Behind the Scenes with Joe Dante (24 Minutes): Previously unseen video footage shot during the production of Innerspace.

Behind the Scenes at ILM (20 Minutes): Previously unseen footage shot by visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren during production.

Original Storyboards

Continuity and Behind the Scenes Polaroids

Conclusion:

Joe Dante's "Innerspace" may seem like nothing more than a silly riff on "Fantastic Voyage," but in utilizing a rather unique & absurd approach, as well as stunning Oscar-winning visual effects, it manages to become a rather entertaining adventure that throws in plenty of compelling narrative developments throughout to keep it moving along, ultimately making for a fun sci-fi outing that is definitely worth revisiting as it quickly approaches its 40th anniversary.

Score: 3.5/5

Available on Limited Edition 4K starting tomorrow.

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