#324: Suburban Commando

Release Date: October 4th, 1991

Format: Streaming (Tubi)

Written by: Frank Cappello

Directed by: Burt Kennedy

1.5 Stars

Suburban Commando is not a good movie, but it wasn’t disastrous enough to completely sour Hollywood for professional wrestler-turned-actor Hulk Hogan way back in 1991. He would go on to make Mr. Nanny (#313) two years later, which would more or less be the final 1-2-3 count for his film career.

I suppose I can see why the Hulkster took another shot at the big screen after Suburban Commando flopped. He wasn’t exactly set up for success here. 

The film was helmed by journeyman director Burt Kennedy, who was also a prolific writer of ‘50s and ‘60s westerns. The 69-year-old Kennedy seems out of his element in Suburban Commando. 

The story is about an intergalactic warrior (Hogan) who crash lands on Earth and befriends a meek architect (Christopher Lloyd) and his family, all the while he’s being hunted by a couple of space bounty hunters who hope to kill him before he can repair his spaceship.               

Kennedy tries out some kitschy sci-fi stuff that he probably remembers from his childhood, along with lots and lots of modest practical effects and silly visual gags.

As I’m writing this, I feel like I’m making Suburban Commando sound kind of fun.

It’s not. It’s mostly dull, despite one of those upbeat ‘90s comedy film scores that works hard to convince you that what you’re watching is funny.

So while Hulk Hogan survived the fallout from Suburban Commando for at least one more mainstream Hollywood movie, this would prove to be the final credit for writer/director Burt Kennedy. What a strange ending to a long career in the movies.