MST3K - Red Zone Cuba is a 1994 sci-fi comedy film directed by Jim Mallon and starring Trace Beaulieu, Michael J. Nelson, Jim Mallon, Kevin Murphy, and Frank Conniff. The plot follows three friends who are forced to watch a terrible B-movie called Red Zone Cuba by a mad scientist. The movie begins with Joel (Nelson) in space, as he is being held captive by Dr. Forrester and his assistant, TV's Frank. They force Joel to watch a bad movie in order to study the effects it has on his mind. After a year of watching some of the worst movies ever made, Joel builds a group of robots to watch the movies with him and provide sarcastic commentary.
In this episode, the trio watches Red Zone Cuba, a 1966 film directed by Coleman Francis. The movie follows three men - a restless ex-con named Griffin (Francis), his simple-minded friend named Landis (Chuck Barnes), and a sultry blonde named Jena Englund (Beverly Thurman) - as they drive around the southwestern United States looking for work.
The trio eventually finds work for a man named Ben (Anthony Cardoza), who hires them to work on a construction project in Cuba. However, things quickly go wrong when they discover that Ben is actually trying to overthrow the communist government of Cuba, and they get involved in a dangerous mission that could cost them their lives.
As the trio watches the movie, they provide hilarious commentary on the characters, the plot, and the ridiculous dialogue. They make fun of Griffin's oddball behavior, Landis' dumb comments, and Jena's lack of personality. They also mock the terrible special effects, including poorly done airplane scenes and explosions.
Throughout the film, the three friends also perform skits and musical numbers, including a song about how terrible the movie is and a segment where the robots simulate a Confucian aphorism. They also provide running jokes, such as calling out whenever someone says the title of the movie.
At the end of the movie, Joel and the bots escape from the spaceship and return to Earth. They are met by Dr. Forrester, who is furious that they have managed to survive. Joel and the bots continue to make fun of bad movies and entertain audiences with their witty commentary.
Overall, MST3K - Red Zone Cuba is a hilarious, campy, and enjoyable movie that pokes fun at the worst elements of B-movies. The riffs and jokes keep the viewer entertained throughout and the movie is sure to put a smile on anyone's face who enjoys cheesy, low-budget films.
