X
- 1985
- PG
- Paramount Pictures
- 1 h 49 m
- 1985
- PG
- Paramount Pictures
- 1 h 49 m
Summary Ben Crandall, an alien-obsessed kid, dreams one night of a circuit board. Drawing out the circuit, he and his friends Wolfgang and Darren set it up, and discover they have been given the basis for a starship. Setting off in the ThunderRoad, as they name their ship, they find the aliens Ben hopes they would find... but are they what they ...
- 1985
- PG
- Paramount Pictures
- 1 h 49 m
- 1985
- PG
- Paramount Pictures
- 1 h 49 m
Explorers
58
6.9
Where to Watch
Summary Ben Crandall, an alien-obsessed kid, dreams one night of a circuit board. Drawing out the circuit, he and his friends Wolfgang and Darren set it up, and discover they have been given the basis for a starship. Setting off in the ThunderRoad, as they name their ship, they find the aliens Ben hopes they would find... but are they what they ...
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 14 Critic Reviews
58
64% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
29% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
7% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 14 Critic Reviews
58
64% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
29% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
7% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
What really lifts this into the stratosphere of heady entertainment is its dizzy wit and intelligence. The dialogue is deliriously deadpan, the story surreal but surprisingly convincing, and the wealth of references to movie and TV classics hilarious rather than mere smartass posing.
For about 15 gonzo minutes Dante supplies the most audaciously uproarious satire of the season. If only Eric Luke's script had prepared us more adroitly for this turnabout. The early stuff is aimed at the kids, the payoff can be properly savored only by adults, the finale is limp. But the blast of silliness is inspired. [29 July 1985, p.58]
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 16 User Ratings
6.9
69% Positive
11 Ratings
11 Ratings
13% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
19% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 16 User Ratings
6.9
69% Positive
11 Ratings
11 Ratings
13% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
19% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
This is a film that holds up even to this day. Although Joe Dante claims to have not been able to finish the film to his liking, I can not imagine it being any better. From the incredibly inspirational score from Jerry Goldsmith to the tremendous acting from everyone in the film, this movie is pure 80's gold. Even the special effects are incredible for the time and still hold up very well. For parents looking for a good film for kids, it is pretty kid safe (although a little heady at times) and is such a delight to watch with a younger generation. Recommended for kids 8-10 years old if they show a love for sci fi or science in ****
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A forgotten gem that not many know. It is barly on „The best movies you have not watch or know exist” lists. For me it is charming, creative and unique. Also it is the first movie role for Ethan Hawk and one of the first for River Phoenix who both would become big names in the movie industry later on. To be fair the movie had some production issues and the ending is a bit forced or abrupt because of this. The story follows the teenagers Ben, Wolfgang and Darren. Ben has vivid dreams about a circuit board in city shaped. He shared this with his friend Wolfgang who is a child genius and sees that those are based on impressive technology unlike anything. Together with their new friend Darren they want to find out more. The first lets them create a sphere that can move at incredible speeds without any negative effects. But this is just the beginning and I stop here with the set up. I like the story because of the ideas and characters. Like I said it is creative and unique. As child when I watched it the ending was a bit strange. Far later I read that they ended in development hell in the later phase of the production. They were forced to speed up the filming and even more critical also the post production including editing. Today I see this clearly where as child I did not. However it is still charming and well done. The characters add a lot and I will praise Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix ans Jason Presson as Ben (Benjamin), Wolfgang and Darren. They work really well and are always enjoyable and believable. It is praisworthy wenn child or teengae actors are this good. Two of them became stars and you can see why. Sadly Jason Presson ended as child star but I say he should have deserved more. The rest of the cast works well too and I see no missteps here. The special effects are mostly good with a few exceptions I cant point out because of spoilers. The soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith is truly good and deserves praise. Before I forget I want to thank director Joe Dante too. Giving the production limitation this movie is even better. Overall I am curious what could have been when they had not to finish this as soon as possible. It is an 8/10 for me and I can see this becoming a 10/10. I say it is a hidden gem and worth watching if this is available. Maybe hard to find as it is forgotten.
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Throughout, director Joe Dante and writer Eric Luke load the proceedings with references to sci-fiers of an earlier day, such as War of the Worlds, This Island Earth, Journey to the Center of the Earth and many others, but this is nothing compared to what happens when the trio of youngsters finally take off into outer space and make contact with an alien race.
Explorers is good at probing the wrinkles of the 14-year-old heart and boys are always better than other-world beings.
Explorers was rushed into theaters before Dante could work out the kinks or create a third act he was satisfied with, and the result is a strange, wounded beast, filled with wonderful sequences and homemade charm, but also confused and anticlimactic.
The alien costumes are clever and show some real imagination in their design. Yet the filmmakers have forgotten a key element. Without an interesting story or characters, special effects aren't enough to sustain a feature film.
The kids are uniformly godawful, particularly the lamentably named Phoenix; their wooden line readings play in long, flat scenes that look like some 12-year-olds' school project. And talking about the movie's sense of pace is like talking about Pikes Peak's sense of pace. Explorers is a veritable jungle of thematic and story threads that are never picked up. [12 July 1985, p.D6]
Entirely on its purpose as a film for young audiences, it is brilliant with its imagination to titillate the sci-fi mind. It has great visuals (check out those early CGI scenes), loving production design that older audiences can get into, and ultimately, it works best when the whole family is around to see it.
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it's ok, mostly interesting to see Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix, and how much of their adult selves they already were at that age. Effects are very good for the time, but the premise and payoff were not up to par with other movies of their genre and time, just too many better options.
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Awards
Young Artist Awards
• 1 Win & 4 Nominations
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 2 Nominations
Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA
• 1 Nomination
