In any other year Wing Commander, based on the series of very successful computer games, would still be a rental. In this year of the Second Coming of the Trilogy of the Force, it's going to take a hit because nothing compares to What Lucas Hath Wrought.

So check with your local theater but get there early, 'cuz a new Episode One trailer will run first, in most areas.

As always, no comparison is made to the Source Material -- like Cranky could ever get past level one of any of the games, so if this story sounds like a rehash of something you've played, you're probably already inclined to see it.

In the year 2564, the Confederation (the planetary government based on Earth) finds itself at war with an alien race called the Kilrathi, all of whom look like they've descended from cats. First blood goes to the kitties, as they blow up some serious space tonnage and get their hands on a coding device that will let them hyperjump to earth space. Best calculations have defensive forces arriving home two hours too late.

The only hope for the Earth is a pair of kidlet jocks and a tiny fighter squadron that happens to be in the right place at the right time. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Matthew Lillard step into the vid roles of Christopher Blair and Todd "Maniac" Marshall and their Wing Commander is the incredibly babelicious Lt. Cdr. "Angel" Deveraux (Saffron Burrows). Standard stuff, with one subplot about Blair being descended from a race of traitors called The Pilgrims.

The effects and models are all fine and the entire look of the picture reminded Cranky of pirate flicks and WWII era submarine battle movies -- lots of torpedoes and grappling hooks. As much as the script tries to build in heavy interpersonal relationships and raise the stakes, the performances and visuals under game creator Chris Robert's direction feels pretty much by the book.

On average, a first run movie ticket will run you Eight Bucks. Were Cranky able to set his own price to Wing Commander, he would have paid...

$3.00

Even with the effects, which will look better on a big screen, this ones for the VCR. If you surf the website, skip the intro 'cuz it's annoyingly pretentious