Thirty years after the television program, Lost in Space arrived in theaters. The story begins in 2058, when Professor John Robinson (William Hurt) and his family—including Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Lacey Chabert, among others—are sent on a mission to establish a hypergate to another habitable planet, making travel easier for humanity. Just before departure, a skilled pilot is assigned to fly the Jupiter II (Matt LeBlanc). However, due to interference from Dr. Smith (Gary Oldman), they’re forced to engage hyperdrive, sending them off course into an unknown region of the galaxy. “Lost in Space” (1998) presents a serious take on the once-campy television series, which drew inspiration from The Swiss Family Robinson and ran for three seasons between 1965 and 1968. The science fiction designs for sets and costumes of the late nineties are impressive, and there’s plenty of action sequences while the movie treats its audience with respect. While Hurt seemed a bit lackluster as the head of the family, he still managed to portray an admirable sense of duty; I suspect his character would have developed further in the planned three sequels that never happened because the film didn't do well financially. I’ve never really cared for LeBlanc (or Friends), but he does a good job here playing the flying ace. It’s disappointing, though, that he's given lines that are pretty silly when trying to win over Judy (Graham) like some sort of dimwitted caveman. As usual, Heather looks wonderful, and Chabert (Penny) was only fifteen years old during filming. I do wish the director knew how to film women better. I’ve noticed critics complaining about a dull, murky color scheme. Yes, the movie is dark because it's set in deep space, but other than that, I thought the colors were quite vibrant. The time-travel aspect isn’t something I needed, but it’s acceptable if you can accept it. And I enjoyed the unexpected villainous character introduced late in the story who turns out to be even more unpleasant. The film has a running time of 2 hours and 10 minutes and was filmed at Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles, with some scenes shot at Red Rock Canyon State Park, located ninety miles north. GRADE: B-

Source on TMDB