From the get-go, FANTASTIC VOYAGE is a study in dated science-fiction that seen today induces self-conscious laughter instead of awe. The concept of scientists being miniaturized to microscopic size and inserted into the comatose body of a scientist who has a clot in his brain now seems like an exercise in Discovery Channel porn but then was filmed with the seriousness of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, and because of the time it takes in bringing a strong realism into its hokey montage, it succeeds rather than sink before it's even started. For the first half hour the movie develops its set-up with care. Once the crew becomes injected into the scientist's bloodstream, the effects of blood platelets is startling -- considered all it is, is lava lamp bubbles and a greenish background. Plotwise, the story makes no sense and transitions between one scene to the next are flimsy at best, but this is escapism made very well. If you can get past awful acting from Arthur Kennedy who continues to spew out bad lines and a King Charles' head approach to his scenes, and Raquel Welch's presence as eye candy -- she was J. Lo before J. Lo was even a blip in this world; check out the many reference the movie gives her torpedo-like breasts, particularly in the scene when the crew removes antibodies from her body), FANTASTIC VOYAGE is silly, cotton-candy fun. And kudos to the human GPS system who continues to track the ship's trek through the scientist's body -- that visual alone is priceless.
Review of Fantastic Voyage
