Flash Gordon

Flash Gordon has built a real following in Australia on Rialto Amazon Channel, and in the UK on Sky Go and Now TV Cinema among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 1,106 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Sam J. Jones's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Available now on Rialto Amazon Channel — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Flash Gordon arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Flash Gordon uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. A football player and his mates travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyranny of Ming the Merciless to save Earth. Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1980. Flash Gordon resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Flash Gordon is satisfying on multiple levels — something to watch and something to think about after. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Watch for Sam J. Jones in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.