Film

Malibu Express

Name: Malibu Express
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Released: 1985
Cast: Darby Hinton, Sybil Danning, Art Metrano, Shelley Taylor Morgan, Brett Baxter Clark

Crime

Malibu Express is a 1985 action-comedy spy romp where a private eye and an eccentric cast infiltrate a mansion to stop computer secrets reaching the Russians. It's slick, silly, and unapologetically of its era—all neon aesthetics and double entendres. For fans of trashy '80s action who want their spy games served with a wink and absolutely no apologies.

TMDb rating

2.4

If you liked this

Charade1963

Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant navigate murder, espionage, and romance with wit and style. It's the gold standard for spy capers that don't take themselves too seriously while still delivering genuine thrills and charm.

But The pacing feels leisurely by modern standards, and the mystery logic occasionally prioritises elegance over coherence. Some may find it slow.

The Spy Who Loved Me1977

Roger Moore's Bond at peak playfulness—gadgets, one-liners, and a genuinely menacing villain. This is espionage as pure entertainment, fun-first without sacrificing action or genuine stakes.

But It's silly by Bond standards, which some find insufficiently serious. The plot takes a backseat to spectacle and quips.

Romancing the Stone1984

Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner banter their way through a jungle adventure thick with treasure, danger, and genuine chemistry. Adventure and comedy in perfect balance, sexy without being exploitative.

But The romance takes up significant real estate if you came for pure action. Some moments veer close to slapstick.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Malibu Express

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Venom1981

Both are '80s genre films that revel in B-movie energy with A-list charisma wasted on disposable plots. Both are unapologetically trash that earns that status through committed performances.

Klaus Kinski and Sterling Hayden in a hostage thriller where a deadly black mamba adds chaos to an already tense standoff. It's trashy, urgent, and features acting titans slumming in disreputable material—exactly the energy Malibu Express inhabits, but played straight.

But It takes itself seriously in ways that can feel unintentionally funny. The snake effects don't hold up and some scenes drag.

Our Man Flint1966

James Coburn as the ultimate spy-comedy hero—suave, absurd, and committed to the bit. It's the template for spy comedies that came after, including the vibe Malibu Express is chasing.

But The humour is very '60s and the pacing stagey. It can feel more like watching a lark than an actual story.

Pale Rider1985

Clint Eastwood directs and stars in this moody western about a preacher confronting a mining company. It's got the grit and visual flair that defined Eastwood's '80s output.

But It's ponderous and reflective—nothing like Malibu Express. The pacing will test your patience if you want entertainment.

Murphy's Law1986

Charles Bronson in an action vehicle that treats its cop-on-the-run plot with genuine urgency. It's lean, cynical, and delivers what it promises without pretension.

But Bronson's a limited actor and this doesn't ask for much range. The plot is thin and the dialogue perfunctory.

Police Academy1984

Steve Guttenberg leads an ensemble through a comedy about bumbling police recruits. It's pure ensemble farce—silly, energetic, and uninterested in realism or sophistication.

But The humour is broad and juvenile. If you don't click in the first ten minutes, you won't recover.

Hell Comes to Frogtown1988

Roddy Piper in a post-apocalyptic action-comedy with genuine production design and a weird sense of humour. It commits fully to its absurd premise and finds moments of actual charm.

But The action is rough and the dialogue clunky. It looks low-budget in ways that don't always serve the story.

Weekend at Bernie's1989

Two guys try to pass off their dead boss as alive at a beach house. It's a one-joke premise executed with enough energy and visual gags to sustain ninety minutes.

But The joke wears thin quickly if you don't find the core concept funny. After that, you're watching the same beat repeat.

Johnny English2003

Both centre on a hero trying to crack a criminal conspiracy with limited competence but maximum charm. Both treat espionage as an excuse for comedy rather than vice versa.

Rowan Atkinson as a bumbling spy sent to stop a heist. It's the spy-comedy template filtered through physical comedy and genuine self-awareness about spy-movie tropes. Silly without cruelty.

But It's very broad. If physical comedy bores you, there's not much else here. Some find Atkinson's brand grating.

Red Sonja1985

Both are 1985 films that embody the era's specific brand of action—high camp, high budget, high on itself, aimed at maximalist entertainment. Both trust that spectacle and charisma can substitute for plot.

Brigitte Nielsen as a warrior queen, Arnold Schwarzenegger as her reluctant ally. It's a colossal swing—effects-heavy fantasy that looks like someone's fever dream of sword-and-sorcery. Raw ambition, absolutely bonkers execution.

But The script is thin, the effects are dated, and Schwarzenegger mumbles through most of it. It's fascinating primarily as a artifact of '80s excess gone haywire.