Black Lightning 2009 Dmitriy Kiselev & Aleksandr Voytinskiy

Here we have a heartwarming story about a boy and his first car.  There's a movie about a boy and his first car that I love, and that's Christine.  This is not that kind of movie.  First of all, it's Russian, so instead of a Plymouth Fury, Dima there gets a Volga, an old Soviet car.  Secondly, unlike poor Arnie's vengeful cherry red death machine, Dima's car is a jet black, rocket fueled hero car.  Well, it's not a hero car, really, but Dima is a good guy, so he has hero tendencies and that pretty much makes his car a good guy.

This is a very interesting movie because it's obviously influenced by American movies of the 1980's, namely Back to the Future.  Everyone in the movie dresses and acts like they just came out of 1985.  They have all the modern amenities - even IPhones - but everyone in the movie seems so black and white you can't help but root for the good guys and sneer at the baddies.

The first Spider-Man movie is another obvious inspiration.  You don't have to strain your brain to figure out what has to happen before our hero learns that with a great flying car comes great responsibility.  It's time to stop using that car for fast flower deliveries and concentrate on helping people in need.  And maybe get the girl, too.  And stop the evil tycoon from drilling into the bedrock below Moscow to get at some diamonds so the whole city doesn't collapse into a big sinkhole.  Passing your Economics test, too.  Don't forget that, hero with the flying car.  Just make sure you wear your black hoodie, so none of the news cameras can capture your face.  That's a lot for a kid with his first car to remember, don't ya think?

It all sounds a little hokey and corny, and it is.  But it's also totally fun.  The special effects aren't the greatest - you won't believe a car can fly - but that's not the point.  If you had fun going to big summer blockbusters when you were a kid, you'll like this movie.  If you would use your flying car to save a pedestrian from falling icicles (It's Russia.  It's cold), you'll like this movie.  It's a good family movie. It's just a good movie. Period.