Sleeper

"New York Times, 1990: The Pope's Wife Gave Birth to Twins" or Allen's satirical sci-fi parody of anything. I was especially charmed by the action scenes filmed in the style of classic slapstick, which were really excellent, and I also liked Allen's silent comedy in the part when he pretended to be a robot servant. There were plenty of downright boring spots, but what the heck, it was there. Still, I give it four pure stars. (26/05/2013)

Woody Allen shows a great deal how much he likes grotesque. He excellently transferred it into this film and moreover gave it a great sci-fi look. The scenery here is simple, but functional, just like the excellent costumes and the play with politics and social development. Woody was incredibly playful back then, something he is missing today. (18/11/2014)

This is one of those early Woody Allen comedies that is bursting with energy and a huge supply of various catchphrases and gags. In terms of the compactness of all the film's components, it may not be his best work, but for the torrent of humor, irony, and exaggeration, I can't go below an overall impression of 90%. Woody Allen may not understand sci-fi, but that's not important at all because the backdrop of the future world for him is only a starting point for situational and verbal humor. It is one of those films where I still carry a number of scenes and phrases in my memory, and when I need to get in the right mood, I think about them. (26/04/2009)

First of all, excellent and unceasing entertainment. Allen rages like a madman, dominating every scene with his deranged expression, never letting the viewer breathe for a moment. When we're not laughing at his unconventional vision of the future, which is literally bursting with original ideas and plays with many of the social customs of the time, we're guaranteed to get some of the unforgettable lines that are spouted at us from all sides throughout the film. Besides, the amazing sci-fi touch adds a whole new dimension, with Allen's crazy concept perfectly in place, and some scenes are so brilliantly thought out and, most importantly, acted, that I might have burst out laughing if I hadn't laughed out loud at the same time. It doesn’t matter that the story isn't that cutting edge when someone with such imagination is at the helm. (06/03/2012)

Excellent sci-fi parody, irresistibly stylish and crazy. What is fascinating is the way Allen dishonors hints of Orwellianism in the theme and how he breaks any chance of any adventure of the plot. Indeed, the "action" sequences, conceived as grotesques, are excellent, as are the ubiquitous ridiculous edges through which Allen parodies "existing" ones through "future" ones. It's intelligent, it's crazy, and yes... in places it's a bit boring and clueless... nevertheless! The sparks of scripted and directorial wit are really worth it. It is strange how what Sleeper makes fun of (whether in terms of genre or socially) has remained current after thirty years. That's why Allen's contribution to the sci-fi genre can still be viewed without the aftertaste of old-fashioned language. (21/09/2005)