Reboots are a hit and miss kind of thing still, and it’s fair to say that Weird Science might be able to find the necessary elements that would create another classic experience, but a good question is whether or not they would come together in the same way to create the same type of effect. In terms of the box office numbers, it did fairly well since it made its budget back and then some, but when it comes to the most memorable movies created in this era it fell a bit short since without several other high-caliber actors, Anthony Michael Hall kind of had to carry this movie since like it or not, Kelly LeBrock’s natural beauty wasn’t enough and Robert Downey Jr. was more of a cameo character in this picture. Bill Paxton was another great name in this movie, but putting everything together it still feels as though this was a fun movie, but not something that came together with the necessary cohesion that might have made it something that people would be embracing in every generation. So to be honest, rebooting this movie might be a possibility, but to get the same charm and feeling from it would be next to impossible.
One thing that feels as though it might be brought up is the idea of the ‘perfect woman’ that Kelly LeBrock was supposed to represent. Quite a few people might actually take offense to this, no matter that it might do little good unless someone with a lot of pull called for the idea to be canceled. The point of LeBrock’s character was pretty simple, Wyatt and Gary were two lonely nerds that wanted to try to create the perfect woman, and in doing so they created a woman that not only has seriously impressive magical powers but is devoted to the well-being of both of them and looks out for the two teens despite being seen as a sexual object by most of the audience.
That could be where this movie lost the interest of a great many people, since the fact that Lisa (LeBrock) was created to be beautiful and utterly perfect kind of overrode a lot of her purpose. The fact is that she was very protective of the two young boys that created her, and didn’t seek to create a “Mrs. Robinson” moment with either of them. Instead, she did what she could to boost their confidence and to make certain that they would be given the kickstart that they would need to start taking control of their own lives instead of being run over by anyone and everyone that felt the inclination. There is definitely a positive message in this movie if anyone cares to see past the fact that Lisa was one of the main reasons it was even noticed, but too many people appear to focus entirely on the sexual aspects of the movie and the need to say “this movie couldn’t be made today”. Seriously, has anyone seen the movies of the day? If movies aren’t virtue-signaling out of control then they’re breaking every possible boundary they can, which people happen to love. Plus, the old saying of “if you don’t like it then don’t watch it” isn’t a call to be ignorant, it’s a call to pull the stick out and simply enjoy the experience.
Rebooting this movie would be a definite risk, not because of casting or the story, but in making certain that all the elements kept their crazy, elliptical orbits around one another in order to create the slightly disjointed feel of the original movie. There’s plenty that would need to change since technology has moved ahead quite a bit since then, but it does feel as though this could be a fun experience if the right director and writers were tapped. Finding a gorgeous woman who can act wouldn’t be a big deal, and finding two younger men who could pass for teenagers wouldn’t be a big deal either. Nothing about finding the actors would be difficult, and the upgraded technology would likely be just as easy to write in, but as I keep stressing, the story would need to be told in a way that would pay homage to the original, but be just different enough that it would be able to catch one’s attention.
So yes, it would make sense to reboot Weird Science. It’s hard to pull for a reboot, but there are times when bringing back old ideas, as irritating as it’s been in some cases, can actually be a positive thing. Changing the story just enough to make it fit into the current time period would be necessary, and perhaps even bringing a woman of color into the mix would be an interesting idea. But it could work.
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