Clockstoppers on DVD

A little bit “Back to the Future” with a little bit of several other sci-fi and fantasy films added for fun, Clockstoppers is a pretty good adventure / comedy that’s suitable for the whole family.

And isn’t that a rarity these days?

Zak (Jesse Bradford) is a typical high school kid (except for his trick bicycling skills) whose father just happens to be a terrific scientist. When a super secret watch that has the ability to stop time falls into his hands he’s off on the adventure of his life.

Well, it doesn’t really stop time, but it speeds up the molecules of whoever holds the watch and whoever he/she happens to be touching at the time - kind of in the same way the old Star Trek TV episode “Wink of an Eye” saw speeded up aliens trying to take over Captain Kirk’s Enterprise. The science and the logic may have lapses but, as with Star Trek, they don’t get in the way of the story.

At first, Zak and his new girlfriend Francesca (Paula Garces) use the technology to pull off childish pranks, like getting back at school bullies or people who’ve rubbed them the wrong way. But the people behind the watch, led by Michael Biehn of Terminator fame, want the thing back and will stop at nothing to see that it happens.

This leads Zak and Francesca, aided reluctantly by one of the scientists (French Stewart) who worked on the project, on a desperate trip to save Zak’s kidnapped dad before the bad guys can perform whatever nastiness on him they may have in mind.

Along the way, Zak and his father learn to bond, Zak and Francesca become an item, and we’re treated to a pretty good rock soundtrack and some neat special effects.

Director Jonathan Frakes (Potsie, er, Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation) does a good job on this feature, blending lightness with urgency and in the process crafting a pretty fun film that’s well worth seeing. Bradford and Garces are both good in their roles, too - and Biehn (who we’re used to see playing more heroic characters) makes an appropriately nasty bad guy.

The DVD is also well done. Paramount presents it in anamorphic widescreen (16x9 TV compatible), with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, and both audio and video are very good. The picture is bright and sharp and colorful, while the sound is rich without being boomy - which works well with the musical selection used in the film. They’ve also done a pretty good job of exploiting the surround channels.

Paramount has even decided to stick a couple of extras on the DVD, which is always nice to see but which all too often doesn't happen with Paramount.

First up is a short but interesting “Making of” featurette that’s really a promotional thing (but that’s okay), followed by a couple of music videos, promotional spots and the theatrical trailer.

Clockstoppers, from Paramount Home Video
93 min. anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1), 16x9 TV compatible, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround audio
Starring Jesse Bradford, Paula Garces, French Stewart, Michael Biehn
Produced by Gale Ann Hurd, Julia Pistor,
Written by Rob Hedden and J. David Stem & David N. Weiss, directed by Jonathan Frakes

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