I - Man (1986)

I-man was an obscured superhero film, not related to any comic book property, a made-for-television movie that saw the rise of one up and coming star and the fall of a would be veteran actor.  A Wonderful World of Disney’s Sunday Night movie of the week, that was designed to be a pilot for a potential television series.  Starring Scott Bakula, who was an unknown actor, according to imdb, I-man was his first feature acting job.  Before I-man, Scott did mainly theatre and appeared in commercials,  a  spot for Ginger Ale was one the commercials that would have been seen in 1986, the year I-man was released.  Bakula, was 31, when I-man debuted on its original air date of Sunday April 6, 1986, had found gradual work in guest spots on television shows, failed tv pilots, one short lived 1^st season , and a couple of television movies before landing his first theatrical released film Sibling Rivalry (1990), and landing the role that changed the trajectory of his career Quantum Leap (1989 – 1993). 

I-man Co-star Joey Cramer, was not a household name, but in the 1980’s he was a familiar face and believed to a rising star. A native of British Columbia, this Canadian child actor saw 1986 as his most stellar year.  Audiences would recognize him for playing Tom Selleck’s son in the 1984 Sci-Fi Action Movie Runaway. He became the most recognizable child actor of 1986 with three films, a small part in the Daryl Hanna’s movie Clan of the Cave bear that hit Theatres in January to very luke warm reviews.  I-man that spring, and in October, the Film that became his starring vehicle ‘Flight of the Navigator’.  Cramer did two guest spots of Murder she Wrote that year and returned to Canada to film a television movie in British Columbia before retiring in 1987, The official reason of him leaving the business, is not clearly outlined, but Joey Cramer had a number of run ins with the law, he was in and out of the legal system before he was twenty-one from possession of firearms to offences of drug trafficking.

The film’s Antagonist reclusive millionaire Oliver Holbrook played by veteran actor John Anderson has 244 credits to his name according to imdb (Scott Bakula in comparison has 76 credits in his 34 years of actively acting) would co-star again with Scott, on his show Quantum Leap.

I-man as the film points out about several times throughout the movie stands for indestructible man, the man can’t die.  Shoot him, burn him, and break all his bones Jeffrey Wilder (Scott Bakula) can’t be killed or get tired. A simple Huston cab driver gets exposed to a canister carrying a strange gas from outer space when a NASA truck crashes near Jeffery, the truck explodes causing third degree burns all over his body.  Jeffery miraculously heals and walks out the hospital. Made on a very modest budget for its time and intended for a general audience, this film was a little campy but can be considered a beloved gem suitable for everyone in a household.