Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Starship C57D travels to planet Altair 4 in search of the crew of spaceship "Bellerophon," a scientific expedition that has been missing for twenty years. They find themselves unwelcome by the expedition's lone survivor and warned of destruction by an invisible force if they don't turn back immediately.
Forbidden Planet is a landmark of science fiction cinema — a remarkably ambitious adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest transposed to deep space, with Robby the Robot, the Krell civilization, and the monster-from-the-id concept all contributing to an extraordinarily original and influential vision. Its Cinemascope widescreen compositions, groundbreaking electronic score, and meticulously designed alien sets push Cinematography to exceptional for its era. The Plot is genuinely clever and layered with psychological depth rare for 1950s sci-fi. Novelty is well above average as one of the most singular and seminal science fiction films ever made. Acting is competent but unremarkable — Walter Pidgeon anchors it well but the ensemble is uneven. The Ending, while satisfying, is somewhat abrupt and doesn't fully capitalize on the psychological tension built up earlier.