Movie · 1987 · Comedy, Science Fiction · 1h 36m · PG · English
Curator score: 3.5/10 (503.4K ratings)
May the schwartz be with you.
Overview
When the nefarious Dark Helmet hatches a plan to snatch Princess Vespa and steal her planet's air, space-bum-for-hire Lone Starr and his clueless sidekick fly to the rescue. Along the way, they meet Yogurt, who puts Lone Starr wise to the power of "The Schwartz." Can he master it in time to save the day?
Ratings
Curator score: 3.5/10
IMDb: 7.1/10
Letterboxd: 3.43/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 52%
Metacritic: 46
TMDB: 6.9/10
Director
Mel Brooks
Production
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Brooksfilms
Cast
Mel Brooks, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Dick Van Patten, George Wyner, Michael Winslow, Joan Rivers, Lorene Yarnell Jansson, John Hurt, Sal Viscuso, Ronny Graham, Jim J. Bullock, Leslie Bevis, Jim Jackman, Mike Pniewski, Sandy Helberg, Stephen Tobolowsky, Jeff MacGregor
Where to watch
fuboTV, MGM Plus, Philo
Curator Review
Verdict
A broad, silly, very quotable sci-fi spoof that still lands for viewers who enjoy parody, slapstick, and nonstop reference jokes. It’s uneven by design, but its comic invention and deadpan absurdity make it a durable crowd-pleaser.
Best for
fans of parody and genre send-ups
viewers who like quotable, high-energy comedies
people nostalgic for 1980s studio comedy
audiences who enjoy broad slapstick and visual gags
Skip if
you dislike very broad humor
you want tightly paced or subtle comedy
you haven’t seen the sci-fi films it’s spoofing and don’t enjoy reference jokes
you prefer polished, character-driven storytelling over joke density
Overview
Spaceballs is one of the defining studio comedies of the 1980s: shameless, noisy, and built to fire jokes at the audience until something sticks. Its target is obvious, but the movie’s real pleasure is how freely it escalates from parody into pure nonsense, with Mel Brooks treating sci-fi mythology like a playground for puns, slapstick, and visual absurdity.
Worth noting
The humor is very broad, and not every gag lands equally, but the movie has a remarkable hit rate for viewers who enjoy quotable comedy and comic escalation. Rick Moranis is especially sharp as a villain who is both ridiculous and weirdly committed, while John Candy and the supporting cast help keep the movie loose and playful.
Bottom line
What gives it staying power is that it doesn’t just mock a genre; it lovingly cannibalizes the whole culture around it. Even when the jokes are corny, the film’s confidence and speed make the corniness part of the appeal. It’s a classic if you’re in the mood for something dumb on purpose, but smart about how it’s dumb.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Karsten (3.5★) · 2322 likes
Broke: nature is healing
Woke: It’s Mega-Maid! She’s gone from suck to blow!
HAL (5★) · 2259 likes
*spaceballs rating is only at a 3.4*
Me: “I knew it, I’m surrounded by assholes.”
Matt Singer (4.5★) · 1726 likes
Letterboxd needs to add another check after "I've seen this film before" for "I've seen this film before A GABILLION TIMES."
I definitely didn't get the Kafka joke as a kid. Or the "Prince Valium" name. Or that John Hurt was reprising his role from ALIEN (which I hadn't seen at that point). Or the PLANET OF THE APES gag at the end (hadn't seen that yet, either). It's kind of amazing, frankly, how many of the reference jokes I… more
Matt Singer (4.5★) · 1442 likes
ⁱᶠ ʸᵒᵘ ᶜᵃⁿ ʳᵉᵃᵈ ᵗʰⁱˢ ʸᵒᵘ ᵈᵒⁿ’ᵗ ⁿᵉᵉᵈ ᵍˡᵃˢˢᵉˢ
Matt Singer (4.5★) · 1313 likes
Some days are so long and frustrating, you just gotta say screw it and watch Spaceballs.
1975 · Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy · 1h 31m · PG · Curator 9.1/10 (1.2M ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, BritBox, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus
For viewers who enjoy ridiculous quest narratives, surreal interruptions, and comedy that gleefully undercuts epic seriousness.
1979 · Comedy · 1h 34m · R · Curator 8.2/10 (811.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus
Sharper and more satirical, but similarly interested in puncturing grand narratives through irreverent ensemble comedy.