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Bio-Dome

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the film. For the type of artificial ecosystem, seeClosed ecological system.For other uses, seeBiodome (disambiguation).
Bio-Dome
Theatrical release poster depicting two men covering their faces in a glass, while screaming
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJason Bloom
Screenplay by
Story by
  • Adam Leff
  • Mitchell Peck
  • Jason Blumenthal
Produced by
Starring
Narrated byRodger Bumpass
CinematographyPhedon Papamichael Jr.
Edited byChristopher Greenbury
Music byAndrew Gross[de]
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • January 12, 1996(1996-01-12)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8.5 million[1]
Box office$13.4 million[2]

Bio-Domeis a 1996 Americancomedy filmdirected byJason Bloom.It was produced byMotion Picture Corporation of Americaon a budget of $8.5 million and was distributed theatrically byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

The plot of the film revolves around two clumsy, dim-wittedslackerswho, while on a road trip, look for a bathroom in what they believe is ashopping mall.The shopping mall turns out to be a "bio-dome", a form ofclosed ecological system,in which five scientists are about to be hermetically sealed for a year. The film has themes ofenvironmentalism,combined withdrug use,sexual innuendo,andtoilet humor.

The film starsStephen BaldwinandPauly Shore,and hascameo appearancesby celebrities such asRoger ClintonandPatricia Hearst.Jack BlackandKyle Gassfirst came to global attention inBio-Dome,performing together asTenacious Don-screen for the first time.[3]

The film grossed $13 million at the box office in North America.Bio-Domewas panned by critics, gaining a record low score of 1/100 on Metacritic. It is often considered to beone of the worst films ever made.

In 2013, Stephen Baldwin said he was in talks with Pauly Shore about making a sequel to the film revolving around the children of Bud and Doyle, their characters.

Plot[edit]

Best friends Bud "Squirrel" Macintosh and Doyle "Stubs" Johnson live together inArizona,but theirenvironmentalistgirlfriends, Jen and Monique, dump them due to their immaturity. Driving back home, they pass by the Bio-Dome, where scientist Dr. Noah Faulkner is about to seal his team in for a year without outside contact. Mistaking the Bio-Dome for a mall, Bud and Doyle go inside to use the bathroom, only to be sealed in along with the scientists. Dr. Leaky, the project's investor, discovers them and demands their removal, but Dr. Faulkner refuses, claiming it would destroy the purpose of the experiment, so Bud and Doyle remain. Although things initially go smoothly, this proves to be a mistake, as Bud and Doyle continue their antics, harming themselves and destroying many of the scientists' projects. The scientists plead to Dr. Faulkner, but he only relents after the two find a secret stash of junk food and experiment withlaughing gas.The two are then banished to the desert environment section and, after three days of isolation, they discover a key in the lock of one of the windows, which opens a back door, and they escape the Bio-Dome.

As Bud and Doyle are receiving a pizza delivery at the dome, they learn Jen and Monique are attending an environmental party with other men, so decide to outdo the party and hold one inside the Bio-Dome to win them back. The party backfires. It throws the experiment into chaos and Jen and Monique disavow the boys. The scientists prepare to exit out of the desert through the door but, realizing their idiotic actions, Bud and Doyle intervene and demand they all stay and restore the dome to full health, arguing that the real world itself is currently not a pristine environment, with Doyle swallowing the key as a last resort. The group subdues the situation and begins to fix the dome together, while the boys and the scientists bond with each other as a team, and Bud and Doyle's efforts in restoring the dome soon draw a large group of fans and supporters, including Monique and Jen. Meanwhile, Dr. Faulkner, who had disappeared the night of the party, has gone insane and is starting plans to blow up the dome withIEDsinside of coconuts.

After several months pass and Earth Day approaches, Bud, Doyle, and the team successfully restore the dome, but on the night before the doors reopen, Bud and Doyle discover Dr. Faulkner, hoping to apologize to him and make amends. He tells the two that he is rigging pyrotechnics for the door-opening ceremony and gets them to help plant the items, unaware they are really bombs. Once Bud and Doyle are left alone with the bombs, they goof off with one of the coconuts, and after a failed long pass, they discover their dangerous nature. They alert the others and try to exit the dome early, but the door cannot be opened until the clock hits zero, when the bombs will detonate. Bud and Doyle run back into the dome to find Dr. Faulkner and get him to deactivate the bombs. After a chase and struggle, they knock him out and use a remote to disable the coconuts.

With the Bio-Dome experiment complete, the team gets ready to exit the now-open door, but as they begin to walk out, Dr. Faulkner returns with one last coconut bomb, trips, and the bomb detonates at the entrance. Bud, Doyle, Jen, and Monique bid farewell to the Bio-Dome scientists and drive off, where Doyle yet again has to use the bathroom and the car is seen driving toward a mysteriousnuclear power plant.Dr. Faulkner, meanwhile, has escaped the dome through the desert window door, having retrieved the key Doyle swallowed, and flees through the desert pursued by police.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

The film was financed by a loan fromCoutts & Co.to the Motion Picture Corporation of America.[4]

Release[edit]

Bio-Domegrossed $13.4 million in North America,[2]against an estimated production budget of $8.5 million.[1]MGM spent $10 million on marketing.[1]

Reception[edit]

OnRotten Tomatoes,the film has an approval rating of 4% based on reviews from 26 critics. The critical consensus reads: "Like its two obnoxious protagonists, this dreadfully unfunny Pauly Shore vehicle should remain separated from society."[5]OnMetacritic,it has a score of 1 out of 100 based on reviews from 10 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike".[6]It is one of eleven films to hold this rating; the other 10 being10 Rules for Sleeping Around,Chaos,inAPPropriate Comedy,Not Cool,The Singing Forest,The Garbage Pail Kids Movie,Death of a Nation,Hardbodies,Mother's DayandUnited Passions.[7]Audiences surveyed byCinemaScoregave the film a grade B− on scale of A to F.[8]

Leonard Klady ofVarietywrote: "It's not by any means inspired madness. Neither the script nor direction lives up to the concept, and the picture evolves into a 'Bio'-degradable hash rather than a zany sendup of potent issues and serious intents gone awry."[9]Owen GleibermanofEntertainment Weeklygave the film a grade F, saying "Even with the low expectations any reasonable viewer brings to a Shore flick, this rates only stupid-plus."[10]Stephen HoldenofThe New York Timescalled it "inept in almost every respect."[11]Travis Clark ofBusiness Insiderdeemed it the "3rd worst movie of all time" according to critical and audience reactions.[12]

Accolades[edit]

At the1996 Golden Raspberry Awards,Shore co-won aRazzie AwardforWorst Actorfor his work in the film, tied withTom Arnoldfor that actor's performances inBig Bully,Carpool,andThe Stupids.At the1996 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards,the movie won two of the movies' three nominations: Worst On-Screen Hairstyle for Stephen Baldwin and Most Painfully Unfunny Comedy. Shore was also nominated for Worst Actor, but lost to Tom Arnold for his acting in the same three movies.[13]

Potential sequel[edit]

On December 18, 2013, Stephen Baldwin appeared on Mancow Muller's radio/TV show, confirming that he is in talks with Pauly Shore about making a sequel to the film revolving around the children of their characters Bud and Doyle. Baldwin had also stated that he gets recognized more for his role inBio-Domethan any other film he has done thus far. In an interview published inVarietyon January 17, 2017, he reiterated his desire to make a sequel, saying that Shore was interested and he has funding, but is seeking studio approval.[14]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcCollins, Scott (January 17, 1996)."Pauly Shore's Oeuvre? Whoa. Cool. For Sure".Los Angeles Times.cost about $8.5 million to make, far below the industry average
  2. ^ab"Bio-Dome (1996) - Financial Information".The Numbers.RetrievedMay 10,2020.
  3. ^Rees, Jasper (October 29, 2006)."Dude where's my guitar".The Times.London.RetrievedApril 26,2010.(subscription required)
  4. ^"Single-Pic Loans Hear Wedding Bells".Palo Alto Online.RetrievedJuly 21,2021.
  5. ^"Bio-Dome (1996)".Rotten Tomatoes.RetrievedFebruary 9,2023.
  6. ^"Bio-Dome (1996)".Metacritic.RetrievedNovember 18,2018.
  7. ^"Movie Releases by Score".Metacritic.Archived fromthe originalon 13 February 2010.Retrieved18 June2015.
  8. ^"BIO DOME (1996) B-".CinemaScore.Archived fromthe originalon 2018-12-20.
  9. ^Klady, Leonard(January 15, 1996)."Bio-Dome".Variety.
  10. ^"Bio-Dome".Entertainment Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon December 2, 2022.RetrievedMay 10,2020.
  11. ^Holden, Stephen(12 January 1996)."FILM REVIEW;2d Chance for Sitting Ducks".The New York Times.
  12. ^"The 75 worst movies of all time, according to critics".Business Insider.
  13. ^"Bio-Dome - IMDb".IMDb.Retrieved2020-04-25.
  14. ^Kelly, Seth (January 17, 2017)."Stephen Baldwin on Endorsing Trump Early, 'SNL' and Alec's Impersonation".Variety.com.RetrievedJanuary 18,2017.Baldwin: 'Variety, help me talk to the studio that helps control the sequel rights to "Bio-Dome" because Pauly [Shore] and I are ready, and I have the money now with my new company. Let "Bio-Dome" two live! Let "Bio-Dome" two live!'

External links[edit]

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