A lack of star power is probably why this teen science fiction action comedy is not remembered outside of cult fans who saw it in 1985 or on its initial VHS release. John Stockwell is a teenager desperate to find something to present to his science class as a project, and goes where no teenager should go, falling into a pit where he discovers this machine that creates a lot of havoc out of its electrical powers. In the first scene, whatever this is supposed to be is being investigated by the military and quickly buried because they don't know what to do with it. Stockwell and his girlfriend Danielle von Zerneck go to the military junkyard, and he promptly falls into a pit, bringing this thing with him and finding out that it is filled with electricity which soups up his car and eventually case him into a world of wonders with the creatures and visuals it creates.

Not making much sense, this film still keep the audience entertained with a fast pace and wacky teen characters, including a wisecracking kid who seems to have taken lessons from Don Rickles and Rodney Dangerfield in the yard of the sarcastic rhetoric. Fisher Stevens from "Short Circuit" and Raphael Sbarge provide amusing moments, but it's the weirdness of what this contraption does that makes the audience wonder what's going to happen next. Several weird creatures as well as a dinosaur threaten the kids with danger, and the film just basically ends in a abrupt manner that I found didn't really complete the plot. But for 90 minutes, there are some good moments, even though along with the project, it has probably ended up in the dustbin of 80's adventures.

Car fanatic high school student Michael Harlan (a solid and amiable performance by John Stockwell) finds a mysterious globing orb in a military junkyard that he decides to pass off as his science project. Complications ensue when said orb creates a time vortex that threatens to unbalance the whole world.

Writer/director Jonathan R. Betuel relates the enjoyable story at a zippy pace, maintains a likeable lighthearted tone throughout, sprinkles in plenty of slyly amusing pop culture references, and pulls out the outrageous stops for the wild climax. Moreover, it's acted with zest by an enthusiastic cast: Fisher Stevens contributes a hilarious turn as Michael's wisecracking buddy Vince Latello, Danielle von Zerneck radiates tremendous charm as sweet nerdette Ellie Sawyer, Dennis Hopper has a field day as zonked-out ex-hippie science teacher Bob Roberts (and even pokes merry fun as his "Easy Rider" longhair persona),Raphael Sbarge makes a favorable impression as the geeky Sherman, and Richard Masur gets a rare chance to play it broadly as the browbeating Detective Isadore Nulty. In addition, the funky old school practical f/x hold up pretty well, there's a super exciting race against time chase set piece, and the teen protagonists are a colorful and appealing bunch. A total hoot.

I stumbled upon the 1985 movie "My Science Project" from writer and director Jonathan R. Betuel here in 2021. And oddly enough I had never even heard about the movie prior to now, as I had the opportunity to watch it.

And with the likes of John Stockwell, Ann Wedgeworth, Dennis Hopper and Barry Corbin on the cast list, I figured that this couldn't be all bad.

But I was wrong.

"My Science Project" utterly failed to entertain me. I just had such a difficult time submerging myself into the storyline and take it seriously. The storyline was just so far out there and cluttered that it offered next to no entertainment or enjoyment to me.

Sure, this movie bears signs of being made in 1985 with the special effects and such. But it actually worked well enough in favor of the movie, as it added that classic and retro charm to it. Just a shame that the storyline itself was utter rubbish.

I am rating "My Science Project" a generous two out of ten stars. This was not a grand moment in the Hollywood cinema history. Nor is it a movie that I would return to watch a second time, much less recommend to anyone to waste their time, money or effort on.