If there's one film that is perhaps the most universally loved by anyone to the point that they would both love the sequels and deny any chance of a full-blown remake, it will be "Back To The Future". Since I recently got the 35th anniversary Blu-Ray collection, I felt that it's time to give the film a review. Marty McFly is an average teen from the 80's whose dreams of becoming a rock star are always dashed, which is worsened by his family's circumstance in how that all of his family members are losers or failures in some way. As he spends time with his very old scientist friend, Emmett Brown, he is blown away by the scientist managing to create a time machine out of a DeLorean. When Brown is suddenly killed by Libyan terrorists who he stole plutonium from, Marty accidentally uses the time machine to get away from the terrorists, sending back to 1955. Not only does Marty have to work with a younger Brown in order to get back to 1985, but he must make sure that his parents fall in love with each other after he unintentionally changed the past and have his mother fall in love with him while also dealing with Biff, a school bully who torments his young parents in different ways. The story is simply excellent. The time travel element is handled perfectly as its both really clever and simple to follow for the average viewer that it never gets them too confused about any logic gaps. Although there can be a bit too much happening throughout the film, it's never to the point where it gets confusing, which is mainly thanks to the pacing of the film. Each storyline is enjoyable in its own way from Marty and Brown trying to find a way to send the former into the future, Marty helping his young father, George, to stand up for himself and ask his crush out, and Marty trying to evade both Biff and his posse as well as the sexual advances from his mother, Lorraine. Even with the last storyline being very uncomfortable due to the incest vibes, the tone makes sure that it stays very lighthearted without dumbing it down for children. It's a film any age-group can watch and understand, albeit it's more easier to understand the story, jokes or circumstances as an adult rather than a kid. Speaking of jokes, the film is really funny, but in a different way than the average comedic film. It's really the character acting, charm, and subtlety of the jokes that gets a laugh out of me and the film never tries too hard that it shoves in joke after joke.
If the story and writing is this great, the characters are in another level. Micheal J. Fox is so charming as Marty, the teenage spirit that carries the torch of the tone and films. Fox is both dramatic and funny in every single second, whether it's small moments or stand-out sequences. Even though he's a man out of his time, it's the environment that allows him to express himself the most and get away with bottled-up emotions and feelings, mainly due to the fact that he doesn't exist yet. While Marty is the main character, he is surrounded by an entire cast of likeable actors that play these larger-than-life characters. Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown is probably my favourite character in the franchise just due to his eccentric, almost crazy yet loveable personality. He never comes across as creepy around Marty and acts very much as an uncle role model that Marty lacks in his life. The performance from Lloyd is perhaps the strongest pillar in the franchise due to his vast scientific and time-travel knowledge locked in a goofy character. Crispin Glover as George McFly is my second character of the film for his sensitive, insecure nature with a sci-fi-loving geekiness. Although Glover knocks it out of the park for all three versions of his character presented in the film, it's his 1955 self that's a core part of the movie as he really works off the partnership of Marty and the blossoming romance with Lorraine. It's a real shame that he never participated in the sequels as his performance really gave the first film a piece of likability and heart that the sequels seem to lack. Lea Thompson as Lorraine Baines is also just really wholesome. Although her alcoholic, depressed version of herself in 1985 is pretty funny, her teenage self in 1955 is loveable and innocent. While we as the viewer know that her being in love with Marty is terrible, you can't but feel charmed by her bubbly personality and it's so heartwarming when she and George do get together. Last to mention in detail would be Thomas F. Wilson as Biff Tannen, the school bully in 1955 who lusts after Lorraine and loves to belittle George and Marty. Even though he is portraying the cliche bully archetype, Wilson plays it with so much personality and energy that he becomes loveable in his own way. On top of all of these central characters, there are the side characters that have their own quirks and shining moments. From Marty's girlfriend, Jennifer, his siblings, Dave and Linda, Principal Strickland, Goldie Wilson, and Biff's gangs, the side characters all have personality to them that make each single character fleshed out in some way or form, no matter their screentime. This is perhaps one of the best casts to date from the range of performances to the likeable, fleshed-out characters.
Robert Zemeckis is a director who I really conflicted with. While I love his early weeks, he has really lost his touch after the 2000's as he seemed to lost his sense of talent or unique direction. It's worse as when you watch "Back To The Future", you can tell that this was Zemeckis at his prime. The setting of the fictional Hill Valley, California is just bursting with character. In the 80's, it feels a bit aged and run-down with a lack of colour as time went on. But as soon as Marty goes back to the 50's, the town feels fresh and full of life, energy and colour. The production design is great at capturing the lifestyle and culture of the 1950's contrasting with the at-then present time of the 1980's. Even at that time, it was like stepping into a new world, which is how both Marty and the viewer feels like as they step into the town square. The use of the notorious DeLorean as the model for the time machine was both a contemporary in-joke and just a unique, cool idea that the car has become a pop culture icon. However, it's Dean Cundey's cinematography that makes the most out of the film's otherwise modest production budget of $19 million. There are plenty of tracking, low-angle and crane shots that give off a sense of scope and vision. What I love about it is that it never goes too ambitious or stylistic. Although it's mainly due to a limited budget, I like that the camerawork is on par to how many would shoot films in the 50's if they had a massive budget. Much like Zemeckis, it's a shame how Cundey started to work on far lesser projects during the 2000's and beyond. The score by Alan Silvestri is iconic to say the least and it might be his best work of his career. The main theme is epic, romantic and fantastical, while also capturing that youthful 80's energy and Steven Spielberg/John Williams vibe that it still causes confusion about who composed the score to this day. On top of that, the film has a killer soundtrack from "Johnny B. Goode", "The Power of Love", and "Earth Angel". The soundtracks covers great rock, pop and slow music beats that anyone can get into. The effects are surprisingly minimalistic, given the science-fiction and time travel narrative. The use of green-screen is obvious, but the lack of it helps at not denting the quality of the film. The composite and early CGI effects however look pretty good today, mainly due to the elements being affected such as the family photo and the DeLorean. Overall, Zemeckis did a fantastic job in directing and this is perhaps the best film he has created in his career, despite some serious competition.
I don't think there's much more I can say about "Back To The Future". It has a great premise, accessible tone, nice comedic moments, the performances from the main cast are extremely memorable in their own right, the side cast is also bursting with character, the setting of Hill Valley is stuffed with personality thanks to the quaint small-town look and depictions in the 50's and 80's, the production design that perfectly sends us back in time to the 50's where anyone would want to live in, Cundey's masterful cinematography that has both scale and effort while keeping the camera a bit restricted by making the film feel as if it was made in the 50's, Silvestri's music is legendary, the songs used are earwormy, the effects are good and simple, and Zemeckis proved, at the time, that he's a talented filmmaker with untapped potential. Honestly, my only real issue with the film was that it shouldn't have been a trilogy. Not only do the sequels have problems of their own, but the first film was practically perfect at being a standalone feature. Regardless, the movie will remain both as a brilliant film and a time capsule of sorts for the time eras and filmmaking it represents.
Verdict: 10/10. A masterpiece of the 80's and Zemeckis's career. You must be crazy if you have never checked it out!
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