Fire in the Sky (1993)

: Mashed Potato

Directed by: Robert Lieberman
Starring: D.B. Sweeney, Robert Patrick, Craig Sheffer, Peter Berg, Henry Thomas, James Garner


A compelling story based on a book, written by Travis Walton, about a UFO sighting and Walton’s abduction. I am not what you would call a true believer, but I am open minded on the subject of UFOs, so I was willing to give the story the benefit of the doubt. I had never heard of any of the actors except James Garner (The Rockford Files) and Henry Thomas (E.T.), but that actually made the characters more believable. The plot was simmering along and I was engrossed; then suddenly it boiled over and made a mess. I hate when that happens! I mean, why ruin a good thing? The mood was set perfectly, I was feeling sorry for the characters, I was curious about the fate of Travis; then BAM! They lost me with an over the top, hokey scene. I was tempted to fast forward past it, but I endured. In my opinion, the film would have been better if they had kept to Walton’s “flashes” of memory, leaving things more open to interpretation. There is a scene that also made me laugh, with those over-zealous believers that give the subject a bad name, but if you have any interest in UFOs, the film should entertain you. Overall, I’d say it was interesting and therefore edible, but overcooked.

-PotatoPatti