In the right role, Brendan Fraser shines. In Blast From the Past, he plays the right role. If this movie is any indication, comic naive enthusiasm is his specialty. Blast From the Past succeeds in large part due to his performance. He makes the situations the script throws him in work.

The plot is about a couple from the sixties who mistakenly believe a nuclear holocaust has begun and lock themselves in their secretly constructed bomb shelter. They raise a son in the shelter; 35 years later, the time locks on the shelter release, and they venture out to explore the world of the 1990s.

Though the idea sounds sitcom-ish, the movie knows exactly what it's doing and makes the premise work. It's clever, and the performances by Fraser, Christoper Walken, Alicia Silverstone, and the supporting cast all work together with a synergy that ultimately delivers a highly entertaining, funny final product.