My Favorite Martian MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +3 Content: -1/2

Adapted from the TV series of the early 1960's, this science fiction comedy is chock full of frantic action and slapstick comedy gags. Tim O'Hara ( Jeff Daniels), an aspiring reporter in Santa Barbara , California, accidentally discovers an alien from Mars(Christopher Lloyd) who has just crash landed on a remote ocean beach. By taking a special tablet, the alien changes himself into a human and takes up residence with O'Hara. From this point on, one hilarious comedic escapade after another follows in rapid fire succession. All the Martian wants is to repair his damaged space ship and return home, so he wins Tim's friendship and assistance. The Martian,disguised as Tim's Uncle Martin , and Tim run the gamut of slapstick adventures, including romantic interactions with two of Tim's girlfriends (Elizabeth Hurley and Daryl Hannah). Christopher Lloyd in particular and his wacky spacesuit, who has a life of his own, are a riot of laughs. And Daniels is very likable and funny as his comedic cohort. Weird and sometimes vicious alien Martians and other sci-fi effects are outstanding. This slapstick comedy is likely to find quite a large following both of young persons and adults at the box office.

As far as PG films go these days, this one is more decent than most. However, it has plenty of sexually suggestive innuendoes and suggestive near nudity. Comical innuendoes allude to sex, male genitals, female breasts and a crude gesture. Tim comically tries to seduce one of his girlfriends and one of the aliens is seen reading a suggestive Victoria's Secret magazine. And some of the women appear frequently in low cut dresses. Slapstick violence abounds in the film as men strike and beat each other, an alien monster eats a man, cars chase each other and characters are thrown around violently. Thankfully, crude language is relatively scarce, although some mild crudities are spoken along with two mild obscenities. Certainly the theme of the movie is reasonably decent and all the magical elements in the film are no more than sci-fi fantasy. However, this frantic comedy doesn't quite win our approval considering its gratuitous comical suggestive innuendos, near nudity, and a few mild obscenities.

Preview Reviewer: John Evans
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, 3900 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, CA 91521