Sexmission (1984)

Sexmission is the kind of high-concept sci-fi comedy that feels both delightfully absurd and sneakily sharp, using its underground, all-female future not as a gimmick but as a pressure cooker for satire about control, conformity, and the stories societies tell to keep themselves comfortable. Juliusz Machulski keeps the tone buoyant and mischievous, letting Olgierd Łukaszewicz and Jerzy Stuhr play off each other with the rhythm of a classic comic duo—bickering, scheming, and stumbling into trouble with just enough humanity to keep the laughs from turning cynical. The film’s cult reputation is earned in its endlessly quotable dialogue and its knack for making big ideas feel breezy, like an adventure yarn that just happens to have a political brain. It’s not for everyone—its 1980s attitudes and frank nudity may be a hurdle—but if you like smart genre films that smuggle commentary inside a crowd-pleaser, this one is a minor miracle.

Sexmission is trying to be a cheeky, high-concept sci‑fi farce that pokes at authoritarian control by trapping two very ordinary men in an all‑female underground “utopia.” When it works, it’s energetic, silly, and full of satirical jabs that made it a cult hit, with the leads playing off each other well. The problem is that a lot of the comedy leans on gender stereotypes and a knowingly provocative, often anti-feminist framing that can feel dated at best and sour at worst, especially if you’re hoping for clever, even-handed social commentary. Add the moderate nudity and sex jokes, and this is one to skip if you’re sensitive to that content or you want your satire sharper than it is smug.