Arena

1989

Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi / Sport

16
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 34% · 3 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Spilled 34% · 500 ratings
IMDb Rating 5.4/10 10 3539 3.5K

fight alien futuristic space

Plot summary

On a distant space station far in the future, the best fighters from every planet vie for the championship in an intergalactic fighting competition. After over fifty years of no human contenders, Steve Armstrong emerges having trained all his life for a shot at the title, only to come up against a ruthless extra-terrestrial crime lord who wants him dead.

Director

Peter Manoogian Photo
Peter Manoogian

Top cast

Jack Carter Photo
Jack Carter as Announcer
Marc Alaimo Photo
Marc Alaimo as Rogor
Frank Welker Photo
Frank Welker as Creature Voices
Hamilton Camp Photo
Hamilton Camp as Shorty
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
894.73 MB
1280*690
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 37 min
Seeds 2
1.62 GB
1920*1036
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 37 min
Seeds 11

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by no-skyline 6 / 10

Not Fantastic But Watchable

I haven't watched this film for a few years now but I remember it well as it was a real no brainer fun watch that I viewed several times on a battered old VHS copy. The plot is paper thin and not much above the usual T.V. sci-fi episode in fact I'm sure the an episode of Babylon 5 has a similar plot (TKO in series 1 or 2 I think a coincidence as Claudia Christian appears in both). The effects are basic the budget was probably minimal but this doesn't matter it's the vision of the future that sells this film you need to let go and use your imagination and when you do it kinda works. If you just let the poor effects go and some hammy acting in places you'll get some solid entertainment but you really do have to be in that B-Movie kind of mood to enjoy it.The fights have to work around some ambitious (for the budget) alien anatomy and thats this films creates strength it tries to stay away from all aliens being basically humanoid shaped and throws the occasional curve-ball in there.Solid not spectacular with a better budget a few extra sub plots this could have been very good as is a solid B-Movie effort no more, no less 5/10.
Reviewed by Platypuschow 7 / 10

Arena: 80's cheesy fun

I remember watching Arena back in the day when I was nothing but a sprog, it stuck with me but I long since forgot the name of the film.I came across it again today and the nostalgia came flooding back. They often tell you not to rewatch the classics from your childhood as they could not possibly meet your expectations based on how it made you feel at the time. On this occasion, it's as good as I remembered.With goofy Star Trek-esque alien races, Jim Henson looking monsters and a cast including Armin "Buffy/Deep Space Nine" Shimerman and Claudia Christian this is a fun little gem of an 80's movie.It tells the story of a young man who finds himself becoming a hero for Earth when he joins an intergalactic fighting tournament. But as if he doesn't have enough to worry about on the mat, there are powers that be behind the scenes that don't want him to win.Sure it does follow a real tried and tested "Fight movie" formula, but it doesn't take itself seriously at all. It's silly, it's over the top, and it's a lot of fun.To me this will always be a classic, a cheesy cheesy classic.The Good:Fantastic creature effectsReally fun movieThe Bad:Could have used additional time
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