Gleaming the Cube (1989)

Brian Kelly (Christian Slater) has his group of skateboarding friends in Orange County. His adopted brother Vinh is the star of the family. Vinh works for Colonel Trac at the Vietnamese Anti-Communist Relief Fund which supposedly is sending medical supplies to Vietnam. He's also going out with Colonel Trac's daughter Tina. Vinh gets fired after uncovering suspicious invoices. He sneaks into the VACRF warehouse and is taken by the head of the operation Ed Lawndale. It spirals out of control and Vinh is killed. The police puts it down to suicide. Brian knows better and investigates. After witnessing a killing, he goes to police detective Al Lucero for help.

It's weird that a skateboarding film turns into a crime drama with a Vietnamese flavor. These things don't mix easily. In a skateboarding movie, one would like lighter fare. It would concentrate on the skateboarding. This is more like a crime drama from a TV show. Graeme Clifford is more of a TV director. The story is trying to be smart but it's really only B-movie quality. Slater has his teenager swagger. It's got a nice cult movie feel.

Fmovies: Alright, the movie ain't ALL THAT, but it brings back warm memories. The whole style of the movie was real cool back when I was 10, and the feelings kind of stuck.

The story line is stupid but the skater-guys are cool. A lot of the acting is poor, but a GOOD MOVIE. You have to look past all the bad stuff and just try to sink into the whole 'nice family' good brother avenging the death of his step-brother theme. THEN you will enjoy it. :-)

Regards, Chafie

This movie deals about a skateboarding adolescent(Christian Slater) investigates his fostered brother's killing. His parents(Ed Lauter, Mercurio) are profoundly grieved. His brother from Vietnam origin is killed by an organization led by a nasty(Richard Herd) but he aware that the store he worked sends arms to Vietnam instead of medicament. Meanwhile a tough police inspector(Steven Bauer) track down the killers. The down-and-out teen has a skateboarding team(Max Perlich) and and he suddenly become involved in several risks, helped by the group skateboarding Trashers.

The film displays action, suspense, thrills and, of course, spectacular skateboarding. The stunts demonstrate their perfect craft in the empty swimming pools of unsuspecting urban homeowners, pioneering a stirring new sport. The picture impresses with its stunts footage with thrilling bounds and leaps. Noisy musical score made with synthesizer by Jay Ferguson. The motion picture is professionally directed by Graeme Clifford. He's a good director with his greatest success : ¨Frances¨ and Ruby Cairo, today directs for television only: Last Don I, II, among others. Another films about Skateboarding sub-genre are ¨Skateboard: The movie(78), Skateboard kid I(93) and II(95) and Skateboard madness¨, though the classic movie is ¨Lords of Dogtown¨ directed with Catherine Hardwicke and with Emile Hirsch and Heath Ledger. For those with teen interest and skateboarding buffs.

Gleaming the Cube fmovies. this movie is great, if you like skating you will love it. if you like mad effects from an 80s movie you will love it. if you like Slater you will indeed love it!!!

it is a good movie with a very bizarre story but it works well and is a great feel good movie. the story is about Slaters brother getting killed when he finds out some imformation about his work that he shouldnt know. Slater takes it in to his own hands to find out why his bro was killed and in the process finds out serous stuff.

Must see, one of slaters classics!!!!



8 out of 10

One of the first films of its kind that I had seen and is still really entertaining, after I hunted it down on DVD and watched for the first time last night for years. I like the portrayal of the skater guys. It frames their attitude nicely.

Slater's 'I miss you' speech was pretty cringing for me, but apart from that, the film carries itself really well without trying to take itself too seriously, and it comes off better for it.

The Corvette guy was a terrible addition in many ways, but despite being so bad, it was hilarious. One of those scenes where you'd say 'who would do that???' and then... 'who would carry on doing that after this?'... you'll see what I mean...

It doesn't get any cooler than this. This is the best skate boarding movie ever. There are some really impressive scenes and the movie totally rocks. Its a bit old school now, but so what? It just adds charactor and proves that it doesn't matter how advanced technology gets, they don't make gems like this anymore. yep, they sure as hell don't! Check out Christian Slaters hair! Its awesome. And so's this movie. Heh, Sorry to sound like a air headed boy of 13. The only thing I would ever slamm this movie for was some of the acting. Christian Slater is cool, but there were some weak performances by others. This doesn't effect the movie on bit though! Hey, and it has Tony Hawk in it. The man! Need I say anymore?

2 very enthusiastic thumbs up, 10 out of 10