Review of the Universal Studios Show, Waterworld

Universal studios Hollywood, is filled with many rides and amusements but my favorite part of our one day visit was the show, Waterworld. When I first looked at all the attractions, Waterworld wasn't high on my list. I thought the movie was terrible and I couldn't imagine a live show being any better. We opted instead to go to the Terminator show. My in-laws however chose to see Waterworld.

After the shows we met back up with them and they told us they absolutely loved Waterworld. There was one more showing that day so we rushed over to catch it.

It wasn't a particularly warm day, but my kids really wanted to sit in the "wet" seats. Since it wasn't crowded, me and my wife sat one row behind the wets and the kids were front and center.

The set of Waterworld is immense. It's a water filled area surrounded by ramshackle buildings and walls. Sticking out from the wall, in the center is a large dock with angled ramps leading to the water. There are ropes and various archaic mounted guns here and there.

On the walls, towers and dock there are Waterworld natives dressed in dull gray rags and torn up wetsuits milling around. Some of the actors carry water cannons; those squirt guns you dip into the water pull back the plunger then squirt. Of course they look like primitive pipes.

The show started when one of the men on the wall said a boat was approaching. It was one of their returning scouts. She came flying onto the set in a john boat, docked and said she'd found land. Of course this was a big deal, since the world had been covered by water many years prior.

The euphoria doesn't last, though, because she was followed by a group of nasty pirates. They break through the walls and start shooting up the place. There are explosions and water geysers everywhere. The bad guys are ripping around on jet skis. It's impressive to watch how well they handle the agile machines in such close confines.

After a long battle scene involving many falls off tall walls and scaffolding into water, the battle is over and the invaders are victorious. The scout girl is captured and the evil lead pirate wants to make her his. He tries to get her to tell him where she found land, but she won't do it.

Then a new jet ski enters the scene it's the hero bursting through the wall taking out bad guys left and right. He is very skilled and even jumps over the dock using one of the ramps, at the same time shooting a bad guy.

Soon it's just the lead pirate, the scout girl and the hero faced off. But wait, there's a sound of an airplane nearby, but the engine doesn't sound right. It's outside the wall, but doesn't sound like it's doing well.

Suddenly there's a boom and over the wall comes a real airplane straight at us. It flies through the sky, obviously shot from some well calibrated hydraulic, lands in the water on its pontoon landing gear and finally comes to stop right in front of my boys in the front row. Wow, what a scene, the last thing I expected. Both my boys looked back at us with wide eyes, huge smiles and dripping wet hair.

It is a great show and like most Hollywood movies has a happy ending. If you're fortunate enough to find yourself at Universal Studios Hollywood don't let the movie Waterworld keep you from seeing the Waterworld show. You'll be missing out on something special.