(T)Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1

The planet Earth is under threat from its former colony. Centuries after humans settled Mars and then lost interest in it, the Martians mount a retaliatory invasion, wiping out Earth's fleet and leaving the planet nearly defenceless. The only crew still able to respond is that of the starship Surprise: Captain Kork, first officer Spuck and engineer Schrotty, a trio whose interests run more to dance and beauty contests than to battle. They are called on by Queen Metapha to face the Martian ruler Regulator Rogul and his henchman Lord Jens Maul.

Michael Herbig directed and produced this German science-fiction comedy, his second film after Manitou's Shoe. Herbig also plays several roles, among them Spuck and the Indian Winnetouch, with Rick Kavanian as Jens Maul and Schrotty, Christian Tramitz as Captain Kork, Anja Kling as the queen, and Til Schweiger as Rock Fertig Aus. The production is credited to Constantin Film and herbX Film.

Made for a budget in the region of nine million dollars, the film took roughly seventy-six million dollars worldwide, a return that shows how strongly German audiences turned out for it. IMDb voters rate it 5.5 out of 10 across 18,000 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.2 from 566 votes, a warmer though much smaller sample. It runs eighty-seven minutes.