wrightiswright Despite being a shameless rip-off of Star Wars and Logan's Run (among others) and having a rather stupid title, Starchaser (You can read the full name for yourself) is actually a very interesting film to watch.Blessed with decent animation (for the 80's), a reasonable story and plenty of action, this is one of those movies where you stick it on, expecting to mock it, but you actually end up having a pretty good time.Of course, nothing can take away from it's obvious plundering from it's far better known sci-fi brethren... The hero is the spitting image of Luke Skywalker, his laconic smuggler best friend is an easy match for one Han Solo, and even the cynical computer sounds just like C3PO.If you can just past that though (And, quite a bit of casual sexism... Check out the 'fembot' with the big booty) then chances are you'll enjoy yourself. The space battles, whether they be fought with ships or fists are quite captivating, and surprisingly bloody... No Disney film is this. There's also a fair few good jokes, if you listen hard enough.So, for a rather rare title, Starchaser ain't bad at all. I can certainly think of a handful of inferior but much better known animated titles that deserve to languish in obscurity more than this worthy effort... 6/10

hellraiser7 To me as a kid it's always a joy whenever I see sci-fi in animated form which to me is something not done enough. This film is an under the radar gem, which I really like.The animation I personally think is very good, it was revolutionary for it's time as it was a combination of both 3D visual technology, a bit of rotoscoping, and regular common animation. Personally I felt this was a beautiful combo and it predates the technique of the combination of 2-D animation with CGI and even 2-D and 3-D graphical design in video games. I really love the visuals on each of the worlds which are unique, really captured that sense of the broadness in space operas. And the character designs I think are great as well from the aliens, robots, and humans.The music score is great, the theme song is one of my favorite themes of all time and I think one of the most underrated. It just has that adventurous and epic tone.The story is solid, it's nothing too special it does takes it's cues from plenty of other space opera stories out there mainly "Star Wars" (no surprise), so it's nothing really new but everything done right. The characters are good/decent, their not really deep but they all serve their functions. Orin is solid the typical up and coming underdog young hero, but I like his motivation which isn't the typical want to save the universe but revenge, which I think is something a bit different and I don't see much anymore. Aviana is the typical beautiful sweet significant other that helps Orin, both of them have decent chemistry, I know not a great romance but I take this over any bad romance film any day; it's also kinda funny in a way since this character is voiced by the same actress that did Orin's slain significant other, so you can say it was fate giving Orin another chance.However the character that stands out for me is Dagg, whom yeah is a rip on Han Solo but a good one and a fun character all the same. I kinda like his mannerism his sort of reminds me a bit of actor Burt Renalds whom always had this sharp and rough charisma, he has some solid lines, he's a bit reluctant but he does come though because well what else is he going to do action is pretty much his job anyway. I even like his back and forth with the female robot, Orin, but most of all the computer that helps run the ship, kinda like the computer Gideon in the anime series "Outlaw Star".However were really in it for the adventure and is a good one at that. As I said I like the planets they explore, I even like that their not afraid to be a bit dark as we see a planet where there are aliens that steel body parts to continue to put themselves together. And the action is great, I really like the sequences when Odin uses the light sword, yeah I know a rip on the light saber but it still looks cool and I like the fact that you activate it with you mind whenever you want, and there is a little twist at the end with that weapon. The shootouts are solid but it's really the aerial assault battles that I love, those to me are the best action sequences in the film because the visuals and cinematography are just amazing, the choreography is sharp and when they flying in certain places it really looks and feels like their coming right at you.Overall it's a solid animated film that like a star shines brightly and is worth looking at.Rating: 3 stars

cinemabon Spoilers contained within:If you intend to read the hype of those people who give this film an 8 or higher, then you shouldn't bother to read the review of someone who went to the premiere of this film, with all of the cardboard cut outs and Klieg lights in front of the theater. The film was originally presented in 3D and as we sat with our Polarized lenses on, the first problem presented itself - the cardboard cut-out syndrome. You had the feeling you were watching the film as it must have looked to the photographer as he looked down through the multi-plane animation stand with foreground and background mostly static and the middle plane made up of the character (also flat-looking) moving around. Second, the plot was far too close to the "Star Wars" films which had just finished dominating American cinemas in their three-film run between 1977-1983. You had Orin, who more than resembled Luke, with a sword that worked like a laser; you had Dagg (Han) a rogue space pilot with a vessel like the Millennium Falcon; a cute robot Silica (C3P0) and the evil Zygon who mirrored the emperor/Vader character. Did we mention the force? Those would be the legendary Ka-Khan whose mystical guidance are used by Luke, uh Orin. Confused? You will be. This is a cardboard movie, limited animation, corny predictable plot, and horrible score (far from John Williams). If you liked this movie, you don't know science fiction. If you loved this movie, you don't know cinema. Not recommended.

ReviloTwist I should start by saying that this movie-length cartoon was a clear rip-off of the Star Wars Trilogy. The concept is very much the same, the plot follows a similar chain of events (although there are some interesting ideas added along the way) and many of the characters are no more than distorted mirror-images of their Star-Wars counterparts.For example, the hero, Orin is more a innocent and stupid version of Luke Skywalker (although he surprisingly more entertaining to watch than Mark Hamil's wooden acting). He is assisted in his quest to defeat the evil dark lord Zygon by Dann, the intergalactic smuggler - a cigar-smoking, foul-mouthed Han-Solo who's romantic interest is a female droid (don't even begin to question the logic behind this lustful relationship). Also joining the cast is your average politically-inclined and astonishingly beautiful princess, an evil dark lord, desert-based gangster, endless waves of masked foot-soldiers, the ghost of an old man and an annoying wise-mouthed robotic ship who is obviously depressed about being no more than a machine (although he does make one good point - "After all, you're nothing but a machine made of flesh and blood. How would you like it if I went around calling you meat-brain?").As B-gradish as it sounds, this animated feature has an astounding cinematic feel and many of the stylings of a blockbuster movie. Decent dialogue, exciting chases, huge battles and some very entertaining adult-orientated humor. The plot, whilst clearly Star-Wars inspired, moves with a satisfying sense of grandeur. The music suits the action, with numbers that John Williams himself could have composed. Some of the ideas in this film are admirable - kind of making you wish that George Lucas had included them in his opus - and as the tale develops, you get the sense of a complicated and interesting universe unfolding.It's a shame that this film has faded into obscurity, obviously due to it's similarities to Star Wars. Despite it's clone-syndrome, I felt that this was a great film to watch, especially as a kid - when cynicism was a foreign word to me. It inspired my youthful imagination. That's why I give it a 7 out of 10.