Slipstream wasn’t the greatest movie ever and it certainly didn’t help to cement the careers of the stars that took part in it, but it was kind of a testament to the fact that Mark Hamill has been a part of the acting game no matter that it appeared he kind of fell off the map after a while. He’s been around doing his own thing for years and yet Star Wars and his role as the voice of Joker and a few other appearances are what he’s been remembered for. It’s important to note that while a lot of actors tend to star in big, expensive movies, quite a few of them will take roles in movies that aren’t as well known and are more or less their decision to remain relevant and possibly to keep whatever edge they still have. Slipstream is a futuristic movie that was released in the late 80s and actually stars a couple of well-known names such as the late Bill Paxton and F. Murray Abraham, as well as Mark Hamill, but it’s likely that a lot of people haven’t heard of it. The story revolves around an android that’s on the run from two officers, the remnants of a failed police force that, in the future, resemble bounty hunters more than anything.
For any that have actually followed Hamill’s career, it’s not hard to realize that he’s been around, as he’s taken part in movies such as The Guyver and the remake of Village of the Damned, and has had plenty of cameos and voice roles over the years. To say he’s been off the map isn’t even really accurate though I did say it, stating that he’s been more or less on a meandering path that he’s set for himself might be better. Slipstream is one of the many movies that he’s been a part of that has a decent story and actually goes along with the post-apocalyptic future idea in a way that was kind of mirrored by other movies that came later on. While it’s not the best example of acting it’s still a fun movie that takes the two law enforcers on a dangerous chase throughout a blasted landscape that sees them at odds with just about everyone they meet as they’re trying to get their prisoner back and contend with the man that stole the android in the first place. The fact that the movie tries to make Mark Hamill into such a hardass is kind of interesting since a lot of people still remember him as Luke from Star Wars and likely expect him to be a lot more even-tempered. But it’s a credit to Hamill’s acting that he’s able to take on a more serious manner and show that he can flip the switch and become far more aggressive than Luke ever was.
There might be some that would wonder why he didn’t become a bigger star after Star Wars since he’d certainly proven himself and should have been able to use his success to his advantage. But it’s possible that Mark didn’t want to get as big as Harrison Ford or James Earl Jones, as some actors are actually fairly introverted and don’t want that level of fame. They might enjoy the paychecks and the idea of being put on screen, but there are some that really prefer to lead private lives, and if they get to do what they love while getting the chance to avoid being swamped by fans then so much the better. Harrison Ford’s big break came when he took on the role of Indiana Jones, and apart from that, he was actually trying to distance himself from Star Wars. Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher have ridden the Star Wars fame for quite some time whether they were trying to or not, and while their characters didn’t get quite as much attention as Han Solo, they’re still idolized and have been seen as icons in the franchise all the same. But the truth is that post-Star Wars, a lot of the actors’ careers didn’t really receive a great push forward, and only Harrison Ford could really be called a massive success, though there are a few others that went on to achieve greatness in their careers as well.
Slipstream is worth watching simply because it shows that Hamill is capable of being someone other than Luke Skywalker or the voice of the Joker, and while he’s not exactly an epic actor for his acting skills, he’s definitely worth paying attention to and holding up as someone that’s been there, done that, and is fully capable of still doing it. In fact, if you do watch the movie you might notice that there are, as mentioned, plenty of ideas that have continued to be used in the mainstream.
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