No masterpiece, but funny and very interesting

Rating: 7/10 (26 December 2000)

Very loud, very big and very funny fictional account of a supposed Japanese invasion of Los Angeles in 1941, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There are many plotlines throughout the film--too many to summarize here. Basically, this is the most unusual Spielberg film I've ever seen (and his only bomb). It's from the bigger is funnier school of humor--Spielberg's only big comedy. There's lots of gunfire, lots of fights, lots of screaming (in full stereo) and tons of destruction (an entire amusement park is destroyed, a few city blocks of Los Angeles and a big beautiful house). As for the acting--it varies wildly. Tim Matheson plays a lt. who has the hots for Nancy Allen who only gets excited in moving planes--they're both cute and funny. Dan Aykroyd is wasted. John Belushi is annoying. Robert Stack is amusing. Ned Beatty and Lorraine Gary are funny, but underused. Treat Williams is violent and very unfunny. And where else can you see Christopher Lee play a German? The film is too long (I saw the 2 1/2 director's cut) and it doesn't always work...but when it does, it's hilarious! A definite highlight is the jitterbug sequence--unfortunately, it has a violent conclusion in which a very likable character is punched out three times. Terrific John Williams score too. The ending credits are quite interesting--it shows each cast character screaming! You may hate this film, but it's definetely a one of a kind. It's a cult classic in Europe.