Weird Science

Gary and Wyatt are two nerds... they have little to no reputation, no girlfriends and are seen as outsiders by the 'in' kids at school.
In their spare time in Wyatt's bedroom, as a kind of wishful thinking, they devise a Frankenstein style experiment to create the perfect woman using a computer, a barbie doll and pictures cut from a pile of magazines...

... what the geeky duo failed to realise was that a bolt of lightning would hit the house and make their fantasy come true... and a rather beautiful Kelly LeBrock magically appears in Wyatt's bedroom.

A really, really strange movie based on the comics of the same name, Weird Science combines elements of all sorts of influences... Frankenstein, Bedazzled, some more far out scenes that reminded me of dream sequences from American Werewolf In London and even some influences from Robert A Heinlein stories.

Director Hughes though has managed to create an pretty funny, wacky and yet strangely loveable turn of events that has aged relatively well over the years.

The screenplay is a bit lacking and the overall story and plot of a guy (in this case two guys) having a Guide to help them overcome their own failings, fears and makes wishes come true for the weakling hero has been done a few times... but Weird Science goes for the more extreme side of things in terms of character and plot points.

It can at times get a little wearing... the fantastical side of the story and the supernatural goings on reach tipping point on occasion and gets a little overcooked but what makes it work is the chalk-chalk-cheese of the main trio.
The three characters are very engaging and hold the humour up tp some really great heights and it actually forces the slightly lacking and OTT plot and fantasy to work.

The overall acting is good.
Anthony Michael Hall and IIan Mitchell-Smith as Gary and Wyatt are wonderfully nerdy and confused in the various dealings and situations they're thrown in. They work great together and their differing styles contrast and blend brilliantly as believeable school pals.
Kelly LeBrock makes a brilliant show as Lisa, the boys' creation. He natural chemistry with all involved and seemingly endless charisma and sexy charm is brilliantly different to Hall and Mitchell-Smith.

Bill Paxton also makes a great show as Wyatt's older bully of a brother. Paxton revels in the role and seems to have had tons of fun in his relatively short lived screen time.

Robert Downey Jr, Robert Rusler, rent-a-baddie Vernon Wells and Michael Berryman give back up in the various weird events.

There's not masses of action going on, but there are some hits of high energy scenes from time to time and the more fantastical stuff going on is, like I said, backed up well by the humour involved.
Some of the effects are a bit dated too by today's standard.

---

All in all, not one of Hughes' best and technically not one of the greatest 80s films in the world... but it's still a cult fave and has some memorable scenes, imaginative characters and some well utilised ideas going on throughout.
Not all of it works but it's still a lot of fun for a night in.

My rating: 79%