Arena (1989)

"Could this be the contender the human race has waited for?" - Announcer

One man becomes an unlikely star in a galactic fighting tournament.
Starring: Paul Satterfield, Hamilton Camp, Claudia Christian, Marc Alaimo, Armin Shimerman

Link to IMDB

Steve

The year is 4038 and the entire galaxy is entertained by a popular fighting competition between champions from various planets. Monsters and robots have intense battles in the arena, but it's very rare that humans fight since we just aren't big enough to compete against the alien gladiators.

Steve Armstrong lives on the space station where the arena is, but things aren't going so well for him. Recently fired from his job at a restaurant, Steve and his pal Shorty are desperately in need of some money.
They get themselves into trouble when they are caught stealing from two shady business men, the ruthless Rogor and his gunman Weezil.

Fearing for his life, Steve decides his only chance to payback Rogor is to try and make some money in the arena. Luckily, he's a talented fighter, and his skills have caught the eye of an arena manager named Quinn that offers to coach him.

With Shorty's help and a bit of luck, Steve actually wins his first battle! He's an instant celebrity, and becomes a top contender as his winning streak continues. His good luck is soon to run dry though, because Rogor's scheming behind-the-scenes to put an end to Steve's triumph!

Shorty                                           Quinn

There are some surprisingly good creature and make-up effects here, with all sorts of aliens to see in action or wandering around in the background. You'll see a giant grasshopper monster, a cybernetic werewolf demon, an android lizard-man, and more! The cast of humans are pretty good too, with some talented actors here. Oddly enough, Steve is probably the most boring character but he's still likeable and we want to see him win.

Weezil and Rogor

The first half of the movie kind-of drags while everything gets set into motion, and although the quirky characters keep it interesting it's still a bit dull. When Steve's rise to fame does start it's a pretty basic formula that every boxing movie has done before... Except this time with crazy alien monsters!!
It might be simple and cheesy, but when it's kicking ass and showcasing the special effects, it's also a lot of fun.

Be sure not to miss:
- Space beer looks pretty good.
- Steve's battle suit looks like a diaper.
- There's some real sci-fi star power here. Claudia Christian would later star on Babylon 5, and Alaimo and Shimerman both became main cast members on Star Trek: DS9.

Internet review:
"If you enjoy campy sci-fi with lots of face-punching, this is your movie!" - SilverWill

Should I watch it?
Some dull parts, but it's worthwhile.

Where can I find it?
Here on YouTube.

Arena gets...