City Limits (1986)

City Limits find initial appeal for it's readily identifiable cast (particularly if you're a regular viewer of obscure films such as these) which includes John Stockton,Rae Dawn Chong, James Earl Jones, and briefly Ricky Benson. Not to mention at least an intriguing plot (with all of the political possibilities) of teens abandoned in a post apocalyptic setting where they form feuding factions as they seek to rebuild, one struggling to build its power while the other struggles for a peaceful existence (not to mention, a somewhat failure of modernity), and interesting sociological study for sure in the development of power and governance.Unfortunately, the film has a poor script (especially, dialog), mostly poor acting, and scrap shooting budget (including poor sound engineering) which detract from the value of the aforementioned qualities of cast and plot. Many of the scenes tend to drag on, many of the events in the film are made painfully obvious (aided by horrible acting), and worst of all, it looks to be shot along stranded California farm landed or in garages and other cheap, scant locations you might expect from the late-night variety of science fiction and fantasy shows you see on cable. I find this last point to be significantly disappointing where you expect visual flair (even if improvised for lack of budget, but creatively so) from your science fiction films to match the possibilities laden in the story. Fans of highly obscure science fiction who's stories often compensate for forgivable absence of display, you may be pretty disappointed with this one. I'd recommend Prayer of the Rollerboys as an acceptable substitute.

I sometimes think my expectations for a film are often aimed far too low. I only wanted to watch this film because I'd read that Kim Cattrall got her tits out...and then I had to wait over an hour for that.So..was it worth it? Er...no...The future is going to be far worse than we could ever possibly imagine. The awful scenario of the 'Terminator' series is a picnic compared to this horror! Because 15 years in the future we will all dress like 1980's 'New Romantics' and have BIG hair in the style of 'Duran Duran.'...Kill me....now...A biker gang fights an evil big business and that's it really. This is the sort of film I would love to hear an DVD audio commentary from the people involved and what they made of it. I can't believe they set out to make such a bloody terrible film, what were they attempting to do? Obvious that some people were just taking the money and running but the writer, director, producer? All a mystery.Some films are so bad they are fun to watch in a perverse way but this is just dull and boring, although, seeing respected actor, James Earl Jones, taking out the baddies with remote control radio Spitfire planes has it's bizarre, surreal moment to be sure!Though, I very much doubt that he or any other members of this will be putting it on their CV...Stay away....rent or watch the Mad Max films instead.

Gee, are we done with the high points already? This is for the people who watched Mad Max and said, "this is nice, but why can't the gangs wear dumb plastic masks, have even less personality, find their savior in John Stockwell, and be weak enough to be ruled by Robby Benson? Add in a script by Don Keith Opper(Critters) and you start to realize why many people consider the eighties to be a horrible decade for cinema. James Earl Jones(Conan the Barbarian, The Star Wars Trilogy), Rae Dawn Chong(The Color Purple, The Principal), John Diehl(A Time to Kill, Stripes) deserve better; not that anyone deserves this movie. This is like Battlefield Earth lite without aliens. That is the kindest thing I can muster. Tony Plana(Three Amigos!) and Jennifer Balgobin(Repo Man) appear in small roles. In my opinion Jennifer could probably destroy John Stockwell in a fight. Less discriminating video heads may be pleased, but I find this movie dull and more than a little pointless. Put this together with Porky's and you have a full frontal shot of Kim Cattral(rejoice or recoil as needed.)

I watch many bad movies each year, but every once in a while, I come across a film that is without a single redeeming quality. This is one of those rare films. Quite simply, everything and everyone in this movie stinks. Perhaps I shouldn't be too hard on the actors, because some of them have shown talent in other films, but how desperate must they have been to appear in this dud? The story is dull, the action is lame, and nothing about this movie is original. Only watch this movie if someone gives you considerable financial compensation in advance.