Don't be fooled into watching some science fiction extravaganza, this is strictly action-adventure fodder packed with plenty of shoot-outs and buggy chases through desert locations which seem to have been simply inspired by the exploits in MAD MAX 2. Thanks to the short running time the usual prison clichés are brought up and gone through at speed, and the film-makers just can't wait to get to the action parts of the story hence the lack of any likable or realistic characters at all and the incredibly high death toll of just about the entire cast by my reckoning, with the one exception (I mean who the heck has Farnsworth got left by the end of the movie?). The special effects are limited to a couple of dodgy model spaceships but there's the usual quota of not-bad explosions and some well-executed stunts and shoot-outs for action fans to enjoy.Although the sets and props tend to look cheap, the low budget action is handled pretty well and the film is nicely violent, with lots of bloody bullet impacts and sadistic murders. The somewhat recognisable cast tend to come off badly though and you could say that this is a film where everybody simply phones in their performance. Michael Pare is an unlikable sadistic villain and plays it woodenly whilst John Laughlin is awful as the young, carefree hero bounty hunter who snaps when his wife is shot dead. As for Richard Farnsworth, well he plays his usual hard-mannered stubborn old self and is the best thing in the film. Thanks to the wealth of action, this film is never boring - instead, just dumb. Only of use if your brain has had a hard day and you need something painless and totally lacking in plot motivation or twists of any kind to keep you engaged with repetitive violence and lots of deaths. Otherwise, look elsewhere.

I watched the movie while recovering from major surgery. While I knew it was only a "B" film, a space western, I loved it. It may have lacked the flash of high dollar productions it non-the-less held my imagination and provided great escapism. Sadly our society has so much available, discounting small attempts is too easy. In the same way that I can enjoy a even a grade school performance of Shakespeare, I can appreciate many levels of achievement for the art sake. I am a cop and found affinity with the retired LAPD. Dreams like his haunt me that I will be unable in the moment of crisis be able to respond to save another's life (or my own). while it was a romantic ending where Farnsworth did take out the bad guy (predictable) I needed a little happy romance where good can triumph. My world is really too cynical.

This movie is really not all that bad. But then again, this movie genre is right down my alley. Sure, the sets are cheap, but they really did decent with what they had. If you like cheap, futuristic, post-apocalyptic B movies, then you'll love this one!! I sure did!

Richard Farnsworth( recently nominated for an oscar for THE STRAIGHT STORY)plays a retired space ranger. An escaped prisoner(Michael Pare) goes on a rampage, and it's up to already-crotchety Farnsworth to stop him.Yawn. This is some of the most dull filmmaking that is possible. The sets a cheap and resemble cardboard. The story is recycled from countless westerns. And, although the actors here have been good in other films, the acting is sub-par. If only someone could have figured a way out of making this 80 minutes so unbearably boring. There is hardly any action untli the end, and when it finally comes, you'll be sleeping.SPACE RAGE is pretty poor. I see where everyone has cast very low votes. It makes me wonder how long it will take for this flick to reach the bottom 200.Still, this is better than watching PIPPI LONGSTOCKING again. Now, there's a real painful experience!