Munchie Strikes Back
| Munchie Strikes Back | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Jim Wynorski |
| Written by | Jim Wynorski R.J. Robertson |
| Produced by | Mike Elliott |
| Starring | Lesley-Anne Down Andrew Stevens Howard Hesseman |
| Cinematography | Don E. FauntLeRoy |
| Music by | Chuck Cirino |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Concorde Pictures |
Release date | 1992 |
Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Munchie Strikes Back is a 1992 comedy feature film directed by Jim Wynorski and written by Wynorski and R.J. Robertson, as a sequel to Munchie, with Howard Hesseman providing Munchie's voice.[1][2]
Synopsis
Because of the repercussions left from his last adventure, Munchie must appear before a celestial court presided over by Kronus (Angus Scrimm). The tribunal proceeds to blame Munchie for a number of historical calamities, including the sinking of Atlantis, the crash of the Hindenburg, the cataclysm of Vesuvius, the meltdown of Chernobyl. As punishment, he is sentenced to help single mom Linda McClelland (Lesley-Anne Down). Linda's son Chris (Trenton Knight) is the only one who can see Munchie, and Munchie and he become best buddies. Chris is the pitcher of a Little League team, and is being bullied by Brett Carlisle (Corey Mendelsohn), who is his rival in baseball as well as for the attentions of the girl-next-door Jennifer (Natanya Ross). While out of town on a business trip, Linda's boss makes improper advances to her. When she refuses his advances, he fires her. This creates financial hardship on the family. Munchie intervenes in their lives, making it so Chris has a perfect game and impresses Jennifer, and Linda finds a bag of money to prevent eviction. Munchie appears back before the tribunal, who assign his next punishment... to help Bill Clinton.
Partial cast
- Lesley-Anne Down as Linda McClelland
- Andrew Stevens as Shelby Carlisle
- Howard Hesseman as Munchie (voice)
- Angus Scrimm as Kronas
- John Byner as Coach Elkins
- Steve Franken as Professor Graves
- Natanya Ross as Jennifer
- Toni Naples as Newscaster
- Trenton Knight as Chris McClelland
- Ace Mask as Mr. Poyndexter
- Cory Mendelsohn as Brett
- Antonia Dorian as Cleopatra
- Jamie McEnnan as Gage Dobson
Critical response
Reviewers generally found the movie a poor sequel to Munchie. TV Guide offered that Munchie Strikes Back "...turns an annoying, no-budget children's movie into an annoying, no-budget children's series," and in considering the film's attempts at humour, wrote the film "is the sort of ill-considered comedy in which a Little League team can be named the 'Hillside Stranglers', and big laughs are expected from the sight of a woman kicking a dog."[3] X-Entertainment was only slightly less harsh, offering in their review "...the series saw its last hurrah in the movie we're reviewing today, 1992's Munchie Strikes Back. Assuming that at least some of you have seen Munchies, throw away everything you think you know about the lore. The last two films were entirely different and strictly for kids. It's for this reason that I'm having trouble calling this pile of shit a pile of shit—putting myself in the mindset of a seven-year-old, it's not too terrible. Can't really recommend it as fodder for your bad movie nights (stick with the original for those), but if you've ever wanted 80 minutes worth of Howard Heeseman voicing the poor man's ALF, Munchie Strikes Back caters to your unique and pitiful whim."[4] John Stanley gave the film one and a half stars, denouncing it as a watered "down kiddie fantasy from the Roger Corman factory..."[5]
References
- ^ Erickson, Hal. "Munchie Strikes Back". All Movie Guide. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ "Munchie Strikes Back". American Humane Association. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ "Munchie Strikes Back: Review". TV Guide. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ "review 'Munchie Strikes Back'". X-Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ John Stanley, Creature features: the science fiction, fantasy, and horror movie guide (2000), 354.