Taglines: Get meteorized.
The Meteor Man movie storyline. Jefferson Reed (Robert Townsend) is a mild mannered school teacher in Washington, D.C. His neighborhood is terrorized by a local gang called The Golden Lords led by Simon Caine (Roy Fegan) and allied with drug lord Anthony Byers (Frank Gorshin).
One night, Jeff steps in to rescue a woman from the gang only to end up running from them himself. Hiding in a garbage dumpster, he manages to escape. As he climbs out, he is struck down by a glowing green meteorite. His spine is crushed and he receives severe burns. A small fragment of the meteor was left over and taken by a vagrant named Marvin (Bill Cosby). Reed awakens several days later in the hospital, but when his bandages are taken off, he is miraculously healed of all injuries.
Jeff soon discovered that the meteorite had left him with spectacular abilities such as flight, x-ray/laser vision, superhuman strength, speed, and hearing, invulnerability, healing powers, the ability to absorb a book’s content by touch, super breath, telepathy with dogs (which he uses to communicate with his own dog, Ellington), and telekinesis.
Confiding this to his parents Ted (Robert Guillaume) and Maxine (Marla Gibbs), they convince him to use his powers to help the community. His mother designs a costume and as the Meteor Man, he takes on the Golden Lords. He shuts down 15 crack houses, stops 11 robberies, brings peace between the police, the Crips (Cypress Hill), and the Bloods (Naughty by Nature) where they begin to work together to rebuild the community they destroyed, and plants a giant garden in the middle of the ghetto.
The Meteor Man is a 1993 American superhero comedy film written by, directed by, and starring Robert Townsend with supporting roles done by Marla Gibbs, Eddie Griffin, Robert Guillaume, James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby, and Another Bad Creation. The film also featured special appearances by Luther Vandross, Sinbad, Naughty by Nature, Cypress Hill, and Big Daddy Kane. Townsend stars as a mild-mannered schoolteacher, who becomes a superhero after his neighborhood in Washington, D.C. is terrorized by street gangs.
The Meteor Man (1993)
Directed by: Robert Townsend
Starring: Robert Townsend, Marla Gibbs, Eddie Griffin, Robert Guillaume, James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby, Luther Vandross, Cypress Hill, Big Daddy Kane
Screenplay by: Robert Townsend
Production Design by: Toby Corbett
Cinematography by: John A. Alonzo
Film Editing by: Adam Bernardi, Richard Candib, Robaire W. Estel, Andrew London, Pam Wise
Costume Design by: Ruth E. Carter
Set Decoration by: Kathryn Peters
Art Direction by: Greg Papalia
Music by: Cliff Eidelman
MPAA Rating: PG on appeal for children caught up in perils of an urban environment.
Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release Date: August 6, 1993
Hits: 58
