Howard the Duck (1986)

The film is not as bad as its reputation despite the flawed duck costume and some dull performances. It offers a few types of fun through its risque jokes, slapstick and monster movie elements, with strong work from Jeffrey Jones.

The critic deems the film unsalvageable as camp, '80s curio, or so-bad-it's-good entertainment, calling it a black hole where entertainment goes to die. The sole redeeming element noted is the Phil Tippett monsters in the climax.

The critic notes that the movie's initial delight from little ducky jokes and the friendship with Lea Thompson is wiped out by escalating car crashes and monster effects. The opening is the best part for its view of our world from another angle, but the rest is numbing waste of effects and chases.

The critic labels the film a cinematic atrocity and misguided failure of comedy, sci-fi, and noir, with bad puns, inconsistent logic, and poor execution. It is nevertheless called a fascinating car-wreck must-see for cinephiles to witness how far a film can fall.

The critic finds that Howard becomes dispensable in his own movie as it shifts midway to horrifying demons and dazzling special effects. The film is a broad farce mixing elements of The Exorcist, Ghostbusters and Raiders, with the second half's visual tricks standing out but the whole feeling like half a movie.

The critic finds the film aimless and criticizes the cheap transformation of the comic-strip character into a polyester duck suit filled by multiple short actors. Some wonderful special effects are noted as eventually taking over in the climax.

The film turns the comic character into a wide-eyed cutesy extraterrestrial and features some amusing sequences of Howard fitting into society, but it lapses into formulaic chase scenes and effects that are not unique enough to stand out from other sci-fi thrillers.

The critic fondly recalls loving the film since childhood and defends it as unapologetically silly, goofy fun that knows exactly what it is. They single out the beautiful pre-CGI special effects from ILM and strong performances by Jeffrey Jones and Lea Thompson for praise.

The piece defends the film as a misunderstood, subversive experiment and riotously entertaining experience that takes bold creative risks, including interspecies elements, rather than a straightforward family blockbuster. It singles out Lea Thompson's confident, spunky performance and John Barry's lush score for praise.

The critic defends the film against its reputation as a flop, arguing it was unfairly targeted by critics and noting its box office was not as bad as claimed. He praises the physical duck suit and voice work, recommending viewers clear preconceptions and enjoy it.

The critic argues that the infamous 1986 Marvel adaptation is far more entertaining than its reputation suggests and deserves reappraisal as a fun, goofy romp with tonal shifts and strong performances. They single out the excellent soundtrack, including Thomas Dolby tracks and Lea Thompson's vocals, for particular praise.