Back to the Future

I delayed watching Back to the Future perhaps too long, because I had already watched some time travel films, so Robert Zemeckis' breakthrough film did not impress me as much as it did the audience of that time. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy Marty's Journey to the Past and Back, but quite the opposite. I liked the setting and the concept of the 50s, and in fact the 80s stylization, which I like to return to in films (whether it be the setting or when the film was produced). The high school storyline doesn't outright surprise anyone, but it was hilarious to watch the confrontation between the 50s school kids and the 80s kid who was simply three decades "more advanced". Besides the scifi-comedy line, the film also appealed to me for its action, especially in the final quarter. Of the actors, I was most amused by the goofy Christopher Lloyd, but the others also had something going for them – the "modern" Michael J. Fox, the coyly sensual Lea Thompson or the endearingly awkward Crispin Glover. Perhaps the only thing that bothered me was the visible make-up of the actors/characters. Otherwise, I was satisfied with the film, even though I was unable to fully appreciate its qualities and cult status. (08/04/2021)

The 1980s and the golden era of Spielberg / Zemeckis collaboration... Back to the Future is entertaining, imaginative, intelligent and sophisticatedly funny, with sensitively expressed deep thoughts. It is a film for which the terms “popcorn” and “(ultra)happy ending” are not used as insults. Why do they no longer make such movies? Why do we live in such a depressing era? Had I been a movie virgin and rated this at the time of its release, I would have given it five stars. (04/11/2008)

The film is based on the idea that it is possible to change our present by changing our past. Causality is respected here, of course, for the purposes of the screenplay, but in this case, it doesn't matter at all because it works perfectly. Additionally, there are two actors who give the film its soul. Michael J. Fox is an actor who you can't help but like, and Christopher Lloyd and his character Emmett Brown are so wonderfully eccentric that he has become a literal iconic mad scientist. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, this is truly a well-thought-out film that will entertain you, even if you're not a big fan of sci-fi. Among other things, Zemeckis shows what he has always excelled at - special effects sequences. They are truly well done, and one wouldn't even believe that the film is almost thirty years old. I was completely unnecessary in my fear of the film because it is really a great example of what fun and intelligent sci-fi can look like. (19/11/2013)

I like the admitted value connection here between the 50s and the 80s, where you're actually fighting for position in the bourgeois suburbs, not breaking out of it. Back to the Future is actually a Reaganesque ode to neighborhood and conservative certainties, where one can twist one's entire life in the right direction with a well-timed punch, while keeping one's integrity in check, and if there's one thing to rely on, it's science. Oh, and they're taking the invention of rock 'n' roll away from black people, which is actually fucking hilarious nowadays. I totally understand how seductive it must have been at the time and actually is now, especially since the movie has such perfect sequences (the concert!), exuberant acting (Lloyd!), and a great script. Value-wise, though, it's as much a guilty pleasure for me to watch the film as it is to be entertained by constructivist or normalization films. (10/05/2021)

Once again, I went back in time to remind myself, after about thirty years (since the last time I saw the film), how Marty McFly went thirty years back in time and then returned thirty years into the future. The fact is, the movie didn't have the same impact on me as it did decades ago, and I blame that mainly on the passing of time, which changes my perception of the world. And even though I must admit that one of the reasons I like the movie is nostalgia, it's true that I still thoroughly enjoyed it today because Michael J. Fox portrayed the main character brilliantly. I much prefer Christopher Lloyd as a slightly unhinged visionary rather than Uncle Fester. To sum it up, the film has flaws, given its age, but there aren't enough to spoil my overall impression. / Lesson learned: Always put your name on your underwear. 5* (24/06/2023)