The 1990's were a booming decade for Mel Gibson. Fresh off of three Lethal Weapon movies, he was already establishing himself as a bankable American movie star. As the decade went on he would find a balance between commercial and personal projects. "Forever Young" seems to have a mix of both commercial and personal sides, and despite a few flaws in its screenplay it still entertains and holds your attention.
The basic plot line has Gibson as a military test pilot in 1939 who wants to propose to the love of his life played by Isabel Glasser, but he chickens out, and as he does so, she goes comatose and nearly dies from being hit by a car. Gibson then asks his scientist friend (George Wendt), who has invented a cryogenic freezing system to freeze him for a year so he won't see Glasser die and if she is well to wake him up. He goes to sleep for over 50 years and wakes up in 1992 after a boy (Elijah Wood) and his friend find him in a nearly demolished military warehouse and revive him. After saving Wood's mother played by Jamie Lee Curtis from nearly being abused, he briefly moves in and begins a minor relationship with her until the climax, which I won't give away.
So yeah it definitely has the ingredients and clichés of a made-for- TV movie. Gene Siskel said one reason he didn't like the film was he didn't believe the relationship between Gibson and Glasser and felt the movie failed to really explore the depths of it. I do agree with him on that minor note. A little more time exploring the relationship would have been nice to see. More scenes with Wendt's character would have been nice too, sadly he has very little to do, and his part really should have been more of an un-credited cameo. Of course "Cheers" was in its final season when this movie came out, so I'm sure the director felt "if people know Norm Peterson is in this movie along with Mel Gibson, I'm sure people will come!"
Aside from those flaws, the relationship between Gibson and Wood is special. Wood is like the son Gibson wished he would have had, and I like that approach. I also like the scenes with he and Curtis and they definitely have some spark. The flying sequences and scenery are also very well done.
Bottom line: A few clichés, and a little overly-sentimental like a Hallmark movie, but still enjoyable and fun to watch.
Rating: *** out of ****. Rated PG for some language, brief nudity (Gibson's backside after he is revived from being frozen), and a brief sequence of domestic violence, along with some fist fighting. (Thankfully Gibson saves the day, before anything gets too bad). Suitable for children 11 and older.
The basic plot line has Gibson as a military test pilot in 1939 who wants to propose to the love of his life played by Isabel Glasser, but he chickens out, and as he does so, she goes comatose and nearly dies from being hit by a car. Gibson then asks his scientist friend (George Wendt), who has invented a cryogenic freezing system to freeze him for a year so he won't see Glasser die and if she is well to wake him up. He goes to sleep for over 50 years and wakes up in 1992 after a boy (Elijah Wood) and his friend find him in a nearly demolished military warehouse and revive him. After saving Wood's mother played by Jamie Lee Curtis from nearly being abused, he briefly moves in and begins a minor relationship with her until the climax, which I won't give away.
So yeah it definitely has the ingredients and clichés of a made-for- TV movie. Gene Siskel said one reason he didn't like the film was he didn't believe the relationship between Gibson and Glasser and felt the movie failed to really explore the depths of it. I do agree with him on that minor note. A little more time exploring the relationship would have been nice to see. More scenes with Wendt's character would have been nice too, sadly he has very little to do, and his part really should have been more of an un-credited cameo. Of course "Cheers" was in its final season when this movie came out, so I'm sure the director felt "if people know Norm Peterson is in this movie along with Mel Gibson, I'm sure people will come!"
Aside from those flaws, the relationship between Gibson and Wood is special. Wood is like the son Gibson wished he would have had, and I like that approach. I also like the scenes with he and Curtis and they definitely have some spark. The flying sequences and scenery are also very well done.
Bottom line: A few clichés, and a little overly-sentimental like a Hallmark movie, but still enjoyable and fun to watch.
Rating: *** out of ****. Rated PG for some language, brief nudity (Gibson's backside after he is revived from being frozen), and a brief sequence of domestic violence, along with some fist fighting. (Thankfully Gibson saves the day, before anything gets too bad). Suitable for children 11 and older.