Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Hey, flailing writers of movies, know how to make a good Sci-Fi movie. Just take a genre, and re-write it as a space movie.This is a better film that it deserves to be in that it stole a bunch of Clichés from fight movies, and it was made in Italy (almost never a good sign when everyone in the closing credits has a name that ends in the letter "i". ) So what are its good points? Well, it has three actors known for their roles in good Science FIction. Claudia Christian from Babylon 5, and Marc Alaimo and Armin Shimmerman from Star Trek:Deep Space Nine. They take what could be cardboard characters and breathe some life into them.The special effects are vintage pre-CGI, and some of the creature effects look good, others look kind of hokey.So not Shakespeare or even Star Wars, but frankly, I found more sympathy for these characters than any of the people standing in front of Green Screens in the Phantom Menace wondering what their motivation was...

Remember when the future was going to look exactly like the 1980s? The makers of Arena did--which is probably not terribly shocking, considering the film was made in 1989. In fact, you might say that Empire Pictures was already on the cutting edge of retro-'80s chic: Arena completely fails to acknowledge the coming of a new decade and wallows in big poofy hair, big poofy shoulder pads, and big poofy monster make up. It's terrible, of course, but enjoyable nonetheless, especially if you pay close attention and pick up on the various movie references laced throughout the script. Besides ripping off Star Wars endlessly, Arena also works in a reference to This Island Earth (the interocitor seems to have survived the crash landing of Exeter's spaceship), and the Marx Brothers' secret Horse Feathers password, 'swordfish', is here, too. In short, it's a kitsch delight for those who enjoy extraterrestrial camp.

I stumbled across this movie one of the 5 million times that HBO showed it my Junior year of College...If you like cardboard cutouts in the crowd...wrestling moves that are supported by visible wires...and a plot that a monkey could write...then rent this movie...Terrible...awful...but not the worse...there is always Congo...where you want to make an ash tray out of the stupid monkeys head...but that is another rant...If you want to see a good action space movie...that is brainless...see the motion picture classic and guilty pleasure Starship Troopers...lead by Doogie Howser...stay away from this piece of garbage that could of been shot in someones garage...

Although 'Arena' may have received a very low rating from the 23 people who registered votes, I feel they are missing the point of the film. This film is funny when it is funny and when 'serious', is even funnier.A deadpan spoof on the many 'martial arts' and modern 'gladiator' movies, 'Arena' is a solid success. Paul Satterfield, looking like a blonde Christopher Reeve, plays the 'hero'. The name of his character, (Steve Armstrong)whose sole wish is to be a 'gladiator', clues us in that this is NOT to be taken seriously. Set on a space station, which has a totally original look, thanks to the imagination and taste of the Italian production designer, the film is well worth seeing for the very 'silliness' which it intentionally portrays. Our hero, Steve, is adopted by a four-armed humanoid, 'Shorty', who misses his wife and 38 children. Beginning by washing dishes, brave yet sensitive Steve is discovered by a real tough young woman ( very sexy in a 'bondage' kinda way)who manages fighters from different galaxies. From that point on, the film is not so much about plot as cleverly spoofing the conventions of this genre. The super-handsome, surprisingly intelligent and gentle 'hunk-hero' is acted to perfection by Paul Satterfield. It's odd, with his looks and build that he hasn't been cast in 'bigger' movies with 'lesser' plots. Much more than a 'space gladiators' movie and with almost no plot, the gags, gorgeous set design and hilarious one liners keep one entertained throughout the whole movie. I think the viewers who gave it such a low rating didn't 'get it'. Clever, funny, beautiful and sometimes exciting.