Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
A twentieth-century astronaut awakens in a polished 25th-century civilization and becomes its unlikely champion against an interplanetary conspiracy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- campy
- playful
- colorful
- retro sci fi night
- cult movie marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film an energetic but uneven retro science fiction adventure whose spectacle and playful tone were undermined by formulaic storytelling.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Buck awakens five centuries after leaving 1987 and must adapt to rebuilt Earth society, institutions, and technology.
The film emphasizes clean futuristic environments, starships, laser weapons, and an idealized 25th-century design.
Princess Ardala, Kane, starships, a planetary defense barrier, and a threatened Earth create a heightened serial-adventure register.
Buck's twentieth-century identity makes him socially displaced while his knowledge and instincts help Terrans recognize the Draconian threat.
Films like Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and why
Flash Gordon
retro space opera adventure with colorful villains, heroic protagonists, and playful futurism
The Time Machine
time-displaced hero navigating a technologically advanced future in a pulpy science fiction adventure
Star Wars
1970s science fiction spectacle combining space adventure, futuristic worlds, and broad heroic storytelling
Barbarella
campy science fiction adventure centered on a charismatic hero confronting an interplanetary threat
Movie Details
- Director
- Daniel Haller
- Release Date
- 1979-03-02
- Runtime
- 89 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (107)
Cast
- Gil Gerard
- Pamela Hensley
- Erin Gray
- Henry Silva
- Tim O'Connor
- Joseph Wiseman
- Duke Butler
- H.B. Haggerty
- Felix Silla
- Mel Blanc
Common questions
- What is Buck Rogers in the 25th Century about?
- A twentieth-century astronaut awakens in a polished 25th-century civilization and becomes its unlikely champion against an interplanetary conspiracy.
- What is Buck Rogers in the 25th Century like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Buck Rogers in the 25th Century violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as mild.
- What did critics think of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century?
- Critics generally found the film an energetic but uneven retro science fiction adventure whose spectacle and playful tone were undermined by formulaic storytelling.
- Which films are like Buck Rogers in the 25th Century?
- Films with a similar feel include Flash Gordon, The Time Machine, Star Wars, and Barbarella.
- How long is Buck Rogers in the 25th Century?
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century runs 89 minutes.
