Gleaming the Cube (1989) User Reviews

Cold War Skate Movie

[vertigo_14 · 6/10 · 10 March 2004]

I love Gleaming the Cube, with the exception of the coyingly senitmental dialogue going on and some of the forced grief by Slater. It's a pretty cool 80s action movie for skaters.

A kid mysteriously winds up dead after he goes poking his nose into questionable problems with shipping orders for the Vietnamese Relief. The cops say all signs point to suicide (or at least they're not conclusive of any other cause of death), but his skater brother is determined to prove that he was murdered. Gleaming the Cube, as Brian's (Slater) friend Yabbo (Perlich) explains, is about finding your place. A soul searching that is bound by no rules and standards, in other words. It's actually a pretty fun, if not different, story involving athletes, nevermind skaters. Although, I'm pretty sick of the super-patriotic themes. Plus, you have a few of the Bones Brigade cast in the main role (actually only Tony Hawk and Tommy Guerrero get lead parts) while the rest of the Bones Brigade took up stunt parts (Cabby and Rodney Mullen, most noteably). Plus, you have a pretty rad soundtrack, and Christian Slater and Max Perlich make believable teenagers, and entertaining ones at that (rather than obnoxious or totally stupid). Skaters saving the day? What could be better?

The music, the story, and the actors, it's a score! It's one of my favorite skating movies and certainly one of my favorite 80s movies.

A fun stupid film

[FilmStalker · 6/10 · 3 February 2004]

This is the story of a young confused high school punk who loses his adopted Vietnamese brother to a couple of gun runners. What is he to do? Well he could figure out who these people are and when he's frustrated, he could just skateboard while he's pissed. To lighten things up, he could hit on his dead brothers girlfriend.

There are many famous skaters who lent their abilities to this film. This does rank above the break dancing movies ('Breakin'')and the evil dancing movies ('Footloose' and 'Dirty Dancing') of the eighties, but I don't think it comes close to bike movies ('Rad' and 'The Dirtbike Kid')

whoa, this is simply the coolest. skate or die man!

[Andras_J · 6/10 · 2 January 2002]

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

Great 80s film, nothing amazing, but certainly competent in what it does, and not many films like it

[Dariunas · 24 April 2005]

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...

Old School, Oh Well

[ianimp · 7/10 · 8 June 2000]

Gleaming the Cube is the only half-way decent skating movie around. As far as cinematic art goes I don't know how I'd rank it, but as there aren't any others like it we'll just have to settle. The tricks are good, being that they're over a decade old and all and I have no real problem with that. After all, we can't progress if we don't know our history.

His own investigation

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 23 September 2017]

One of Christian Slater's early hits finds Slater as a high school kid with the biggest passion of his life being skateboarding. Gleaming The Cube casts him as the son of Ed Lauter and Nicole Mercurio. He has an adopted Vietnamese brother Art Chuddabala that the parents may have gone overboard to make him feel like one of the family, possibly ignoring Slater. In any event he's a misfit kid with skateboarding on his mind 24/7.

Chuddabala works for Le Tuan a Vietnamese exile who has an electronics store but who also works to supply arms needed for counter revolutionists in the old country. One night Chuddabala discovers some bookkeeping errors and it gets him killed by arms dealer Richard Herd.

They fake a suicide, but that does not stop Slater. After the cops have closed the case he starts his own little investigation and when needed Slater's skateboarding posse is at his command.

Gleaming The Cube does not have Slater as one of the more outrageous and quirky characters he specialized in the 90s playing. Still there's a lot here for his fans to enjoy. The skateboarding acrobatics by the pros who worked on this film are spectacular. Christian Slater fans will like it as will others.

A cube not that gleaming, but....

[videorama-759-859391 · 6/10 · 12 October 2015]

There's a scene in this movie, one would say freakily idenitical to one in another Christian Slater, years later, Kuffs. It's Slater farewelling his stepbrother here, spouting the words "I fu..in' love you man" Watch Kuffs and you'll see the same dialogue. GTC is no Kuffs though, with fantastically shot skateboarding scenes, some quite breathtaking. They do quite well compensate for some of the films faults, although GTC is quite entertaining, too being one of Slater's first films, which had a brief run at the cinema. Again making references to Kuffs, Slater is again, an avenging hero, not playing by the rules, and causing s..t and some tempers to flare. One being a young detective, Al (Steven Bauer) who sides with him, to take down the corrupt party who wasted his Vietnamese stepbrother (again I drawer reference to Kuffs, Slater's brotherly love problems). I don't really know how Bauer's character fits in, as far as Slater's acquaintance, (Is he just some old friend, now a cop who busted Slater and pals one too many times) e.g. Slater and skate addicts crashing a house, and using a deep unfilled pool as a skating rink. That's what I boil his character relation down too. GTC isn't really a film that impresses. It's a good popcorn flick, but don't look for anything beyond that, except the great thrill seeking skating sequences. I was disappointed at the start, expecting a Point Break moment in that plane, prior to them crashing that pool in upscale suburbia, though. Try and count the time Bauer, flicks Slater's ear. Ouuch!

Slightly disjointed...

[dancingqueen · 4/10 · 12 January 2007]

Well, yes. Christian Slater is a good "skater" character, and yes, Tony Hawk does some skating in the movie (beginning pool scene), but I just couldn't buy the "death" emotions portrayed. The parents weren't nearly sad enough, nor was Brian. And, the fact that Vinh's girlfriend would be remotely interested in him was a complete stretch. And that Brian's friends would pick on him for dressing like a prep instead of noting that he might be grieving his brother? Not terribly believable. I also think that perhaps Brian would have planned out the revenge a little better than just crashing through a plate glass window at someone's house, as well as not hiding the lighter he swiped. Oh well. Gotta love the '80s fashions and sentiments. Car chases are good!

The best the 80's had to offer

[Headbiscuit · 10/10 · 21 July 2001]

What a sweet movie. This movie just about wraps up the "rad" pop culture of the 1980's, and puts it into one film. The skateboarding is incredible, and it features Tony Hawk who developed into the #1 skater in the world. While this movie might not be realistic, it made me laugh all the way through. The best scene by far involves Tony Hawk and a Pizza Hut truck. Enjoy this movie and remember the 80's.

Blast From My Past!

[neonmaniacs · 7/10 · 20 January 2011]

When I first watched Gleaming The Cube probably twenty years ago, I was highly excited by this farce. I liked it so much I probably watched it everyday for a week, hell maybe even a month. Then once I had finished watching I'd take my skateboard round to my friends then we'd head down to school, climb onto the long flat roof and skate around for hours rein-acting scenes from the film. Gleaming The Cube was just one of many films that had us acting like this in our youth.

Having just finished watching Gleaming The Cube for the first time in years I realised two things. 1. It doesn't have the same hold over me as it once did (but really why should it? I'm not ten anymore). 2. It isn't anywhere near as bad as some of the reviews I've read over the years.

Starring one of my all time favourites 'Christian Slater' in the lead role of Brian and starring no-one else worth mentioning, Gleaming The Cube is without doubt the best skateboard/mystery/drama that the world has ever produced. Slater spends his usual amount of time trying to pull of intense 'Jack Nicholson' style faces, but that's one of the things I always loved about him.

When Brian's stepbrother is found dead, the police say its suicide but Brian thinks different, so he sets out on his skateboard and tries to solve the mystery of his death. That's basically it as far as plot goes, but the film is carried forward with chase scenes and skateboarding action.

All in all it's everything an 80's skateboarding film should be. And I like it.

Thriller, tension and intrigue in this skateboarding movie

[ma-cortes · 5/10 · 17 April 2008]

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.

I love the 80's

[gregantrim1977 · 8/10 · 18 November 2006]

I love this movie!

It's got a plot, good skating, and its entertaining.

What more could you ask for.

It is just your typical 80's movie and personally, I think those are the best kind.

If you don't like it, maybe you should try suspending disbelief.

That usually works for me.

My recommendation...

Check it out if you need something to do late at night and you're tired of watching all of the normal blockbusters that come out these days.

This movie is probably actually terrible

[whatch-17931 · 7/10 · 30 October 2020]

Sue me.

It seems to fit in my brain roughly alongside Saved By the Bell, both of which I seemed to have seen far too much of on cable.

It's almost like a super high budget Saved by the Bell, with higher stakes. Slater's character here feels a lot like what Zack Morris would *really* be like outside the confines of G rated, reset button laden Saturday morning kids show.

When they take down the Big Bad, I do wish they could have incorporated the skating without being so over the top. Lol, *literally* over the top. They might as well have given Slater a cape.

skateboarding international crime drama

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 23 April 2016]

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.

Pro Slater Movies

[hcgrrl · 22 January 2003]

I absolutely love this movie, no doubt about it!

10/10. A great display of tacky, bad acting, bad storyline, eighties brilliance at it's best.

Drop me a line if you the same way. There has to be more than just myself out there who love this kind of trash.

Classic '80's skater movie

[wrxsti54 · 7/10 · 3 June 2022]

Gleaming the Cube was an '80's inside baseball skater slang term for a gnarly ride. The movie revolves around 16 year old Brian Kelly (Christian Slater), a rebellious skater who hangs with his skater buddies. He has a similar aged adopted Vietnamese brother called Vihn (Art Chudabala) who works with a retired Vietnamese army officer Colonel Trac (Le Tuan). Vihn uncovers financial irregularities that leads him to discover a plot to export illegal weapons to Vietnamese rebels under the guise of charitable shipments. The mastermind, local businessman Ed Lawndale (Richard Herd), has Vihn killed for his discovery but Vihn leaves a list of suspicious items that Brian finds. Brian enlists the support of Vihn's coworker (and daughter of Col Trac) Tina (Min Luong). She won't have anything to do with Brian because he dresses like a typical fringe skater dude so he changes to more conventional preppy clothes and cuts his hair and so they begin to date. The movie tells the story of how Brian avenges the murder of his brother and uncovers the illegal weapons shipment plot.

After Slater's big screen debut aged 15 in The Legend of Billie Jean and aged 16 in The Name of the Rose, this was his first lead role only a year later. He apparently had to train for six months skateboarding to do many of the stunts himself. He puts in a very credible performance and in fact his breakthrough role in The Heathers the following year really launched his career. The movie also features leading professional teen skaters at the time such as Tony Hawk and Max Perlich. Along with professional skate doubles for Slater, the movie was laced with some of the most dramatic and cutting edge skate chase and demonstration scenes that really make the movie an '80's iconic classic.

Skateboard Vigilantes?!?

[Tunica · 3/10 · 12 September 1999]

One of silliest male bonding movies ever...Should wind up at the top of Christian Slater's list of movies he wishes nobody remembers. Cone to think of it, the only male bonding movie Slater ever succeeded in was Interview With the Vampire, because all he did was to interview Brad Pitt's Louis. He is at his best as the outcast [Heathers, Pump Up the Volume]

Perfect Late '80s Skater film

[Me Grimlock · 10/10 · 17 July 2002]

Ok I know this film is old, but who cares? Let's get that out of the way, it's old it's old it's old. I don't care if it's old. I was 13 1/2 when this movie came out, and I know a lot of people even my age (27) would consider this a dated "old school" movie, but like I said, I don't care, it's still fun.

I was a middle school skater in the very late '80s, and this film brings back great memories. Ok the fashions got old by like 1991, but again who cares? Forget the fashions and just concentrate on the skateboard stunts, they'll blow you away. Legendary skater Tony Hawk is in this film, and everyone who was or is a skater knows how valuable Hawk was to skateboarding. These days I see a lot of teenagers skateboarding in parking lots and malls, it seems the trend has come back since being dormant since 1990. Even though the skating fad died down then, I was still skating as a teenager into around 1995. It was uncool to be a 19 or 20 year old skating back in the heyday of grunge, but once a skater, always a skater. Many times when I see these kids skating today, I want to haul my old 27 year old butt out there and show them how us 13 and 14 year olds did it back in 1989.

Watching the Tube

[thesar-2 · 4/10 · 22 March 2019]

Part Disneyland, part Pizza Hut ad, this (should've been a TV-movie AND cut down) film is mostly harmless, unless someone where to try the impossible skateboarding stunts on the highways. Can't believe I never saw this before since I grew up with a crush on Christian Slater when this film came out.

classic!

[less_than_roger · 8/10 · 30 June 2004]

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

Oddball mix

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 8 November 2019]

GLEAMING THE CUBE is an oddball mix of conspiracy thriller and skateboarding drama, with a youthful Christian Slater headlining the cast. It's low enough budget to resemble an independent rather than studio picture, and it's episodic at best. Slater is the usual disaffected youth - although rather more wholesome than we've seen of the star elsewhere - who spends plenty of time skateboarding until his adoptive brother dies, apparently by his own hand. A slow investigation follows, punctuated by a few skateboarding scenes which have been eclipsed in other movies, such as those put out by Jackie Chan (CITY HUNTER, for example). I find a little goes a long way when it comes to skateboarding.

Decent Movie

[D-Style · 7 June 1999]

This was a decent movie...if you were ever into skateboarding then this movie is a must see...it's good for the time frame it was created in(late 80's)..it also has a lot of big time pro skaters in it Mike Vallely,Tony Hawk,Rod Mullin,Lance Mountain,Mike McGill,Natas Kaupus,and Eric Dressen.....I think the only big actor is Christian Slater...so this is obviously a "skater oriented" movie.. check it out...its worth the money if you can handle the "old skool" skating and a little cheesy storyline drama..

The worst acting I've ever seen

[Saltyskid · 4/10 · 8 August 2021]

Beside Christian Slater and some of his buddy,the acting is acceptable. But every single vietnamese in this movie is just terrible at acting. The Idea is great and pioneer but the plot was out of no where. Christian Slater skating saving the whole movie like jennifer connelly (career opportunities 1991 ). Not very enjoyable although it was a big investment(budget going for slater and the skaters),left some for other people in the crew.

CHEER! - (8 stars out of 10)

[BJG-Reviews · 8/10 · 16 February 2019]

The stage curtains open ...

This is the first Christian Slater movie I've ever seen on the silver screen. I'd seen Christian Slater in movies before this one, such as "The Legend of Billie Jean" and "The Wizard", but this is the first movie where he headlined and starred that I can remember ever seeing.

High School student, Brian Kelly (Slater), really didn't care about anything other than hanging out with his friends, music and skateboarding - much to the chagrin of his disapproving father. But when his adopted brother, Vinh, is found dead in a motel room and it is ruled a suicide, Brian isn't buying it and he begins to investigate what he believes is a murder. Finally, he is able to confide in Detective Lucero (Steven Bauer) and together they find out more than what they bargained for, leading to a climatic confrontation between the bad guys and Brian and his skateboarding gang.

Bolstered by a solid music soundtrack, this fun piece of 80's teen action is one of the best of its time. Slater began to come into his own about this time and this movie was a stepping stone into the prime of his career. There really is nothing noteworthy about the acting, but it is still an entertaining way to spend 100 minutes. Skateboarding legend, Tony Hawk, also makes an appearance in the film as a character named Buddy. The stunt work is incredible and the skateboarding sequences are outstanding.

I highly recommend "Gleaming The Cube". It is a lost gem from the 80's and well worth the watch. It is one of my personal favorite Christian Slater movies and gets plenty of play time out of my own collection.

My Favourite film ever!

[The Rich · 10/10 · 26 February 2002]

This is my favourite film ever. From when I first saw it on Sky when I was 9 I have been hooked on it! And after a 8 year search to find it on Video and now DVD I own it on both formats! The film is really enjoyable if you get past the slightly lame plot, but it does contain some really cool skating sequences and some of the dialougue is cool. Especially the line about when Brian wanted to be a vet so he could look after cows long enough to make them into hambugers! Overall my favourite film and one I hope I never tire of seeing!