Norman's Awesome Experience

My review was written in October 1989 after watching the movie on South Gate video cassette.

This entertaining time-travel feature, released direct-to-video, was made in 1987 as "A Switch in Time" but retitled to take advantage of the hit Orion release "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure".

Oddball promise has hip young lab assistant Norman (Tom McCamus) transported back to the days of ancient Rome due to a power surge at the Geneva high-energy physics installation where he works. Accompanying him are a pretty model (Laurie Paton) and her Italian photographer (Jacques Lussier), who've secretly entered the facility to shoot a glamor layout for Omni magazine.

Unlike "Bill & Ted", pic doesn't hop around but takes the cast on a single adventure, fighting barbarians in remote European colonies controlled by ancient Rome. It's nicely filmed on Argentine locations. Lack of variety is a drawback in a genre in which time paradoxes and sci-fi gimmickry usually makes for most of the fun.

Cast does a fine job, particularly Paton as the feisty heroine. Golden oldies on the soundtrack aim for the target youth audience. Special effects are modest.