Flash Gordon

Pathetic earthlings...who can save you now?

1980 • 111 min • Science Fiction · Adventure · Action

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Synopsis

A football player and his mates travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyranny of Ming the Merciless to save Earth.

Our family guide

Best from age 9

Movie Knight Score

1125 reviews

100 Reviewers · 3 · 53%
63 Audience · 1122 · 47%

An American football hero, Flash Gordon, accidentally travels to the planet Mongo. There, he battles the tyrannical Emperor Ming the Merciless to prevent him from destroying Earth. The adventure is a vibrant, action-packed space opera.

Violence & peril: 4/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 2/10
Romance & sensuality: 3/10
Scary moments: 4/10

Heads up

Some fantasy violence with laser guns and swords
Several characters are shown in revealing outfits
Brief suggestion of torture and mind control

What it models well

Courage in the face of tyranny
Sacrifice for the greater good
Standing up for what
Friendship and loyalty

Talk about it after

Different forms of leadership, good versus evil
The importance of standing up against oppression
How special effects have evolved over time

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Flash Gordon. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Mike Hodges • Crew: Lorenzo Semple Jr.

Trailers & clips

Reviewer notes

Recommended
Now then, anyone who thinks that Max von Sydov's best film was "the Seventh Seal" (1957) really does need to get their priorities right: forget Ingmar Bergman - it has to be this marvellously camp effort from Mike Hodges and Dino de Laurentiis that allows him to act the megalomanic whilst dressing up like the best panto villain you're ever likely to encounter. Sam J.…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
Campy and fun science fiction fantasy-adventure flick has some cheesy but colorful and good production designs and the performances for the most part were fine, with Max Von Sydow lending prestige to a goofy character and Sam J.…
JPV852, TMDB Community

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
One of the least appreciated movies made in my lifetime. Done right after the glory that was The Empire Strikes Back and released to a public that had forgotten who Flash Gordon was or what the 1930's serials with Larry "Buster" Crabbe represented.…
tmdb27219454, TMDB Community