Flash Gordon
Directed by Mike Hodges
- science fiction
- adventure
- action
- family
The story
A football player and his mates travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyranny of Ming the Merciless to save Earth.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated comic-book colour: Ming's throne room glows in lurid reds, purples and gold, and the city-planet Mongo is a riot of tiered towers, neon-edged sets and painted skies that look more like a pop-art fever dream than a real world. The camera moves with a playful, rollicking energy, with sweeping crane shots, wide frames full of costume and set-dressing, and staged fight choreography shot with a cheerful theatricality. Queen's bombastic synth-rock score drives almost every scene, so the soundtrack sets the pace as much as the editing does. The vibe is campy, giddy and deliberately over-the-top, the kind of lighthearted spectacle that suits a silly Saturday-afternoon watch, a group movie night, or a comfort rewatch with friends. The rhythm is brisk and episodic, the emotional register bright and affectionate, and the arc is a bumbling, good-hearted hero growing into his role while the romance blooms in fits and starts. Violence is cartoonish swordplay and staged battles with no gore; there is some peril, a few menacing moments and mild innuendo, but nothing harsh. It is made for viewers who want escapist, tongue-in-cheek sci-fi fun with a retro sheen.
More films like Flash Gordon
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Flash Gordon and we’ll explain which ones fit you.
