Explorers

Starring: Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Jason Presson, Bradley Gregg, Amanda Peterson, Danny Nucci, Dana Ivey, James Cromwell, Robert Picardo, Dick Miller, Frank Welker (voice), Mary Kay Place (uncredited)
Directed by: Joe Dante
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction
1985

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Three friends (Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Jason Presson) build a spaceship based on plans they saw in a dream. As the ship takes off, they question what awaits them among the stars.

Review:

Tim: I enjoyed Explorers- it's a fun, children-focused sci-fi adventure film. It's safe and taps into quite a lot of the adventurous spirit that appeals to preteen boys. It's an entertaining film and a well-made one. However, I also feel like it further exposes the limits of Joe Dante's ability as a director. This is the sixth film of his I've seen and his movies never surpass "good". This film easily could have been better. So, while I liked the film, I am well aware of its shortcomings.

The biggest appeal of this film is that you watch three friends who build a spaceship and travel into outer space. Man, there's not many kids who wouldn't love to go on that adventure. I remember watching this film as a child and wishing I could accompany them on their journey. Even watching it as an adult with two kids of my own, the movie does transport you back to your youth. The scenes of the friends discovering the technology that will lift them to the stars, the scenes of them building the spaceship, the scenes of them stocking up on snacks and other needs for their voyage- it's all fun and exciting. Dante has always been good at depicting ordinary people in extraordinary events and these are the highlights of the film. It's so fun to wonder what these kids will find once they leave earth's atmosphere.

The whole movie builds to what they will find and this sense of discovery is powerful. Unfortunately, it feels fairly anticlimactic once they reach their destination. Now, I was quite impressed with the makeup and effects to bring the two aliens to life. It would have been easy to skirt past this or keep them cloaked in shadows, but we get to see the alien lifeforms in all their colorful glory. I appreciated the efforts the film went to depict these two characters. Sadly, those scenes were still fairly disappointing. The story of these aliens, who they are and why they are here felt completely redundant. Those kinds of stories had been done numerous times in the comics of the 1950s and 1960s. I understand this film was tapping into that nostalgia, but it doesn't offer anything a comic reader of those days wouldn't have seen before. It might have been zany, but it's not particularly interesting. The conclusion of the film felt unsatisfactory. Sure, we get a scene setting up adventures to come, but for a film titled Explorers, our protagonists don't do that much exploring. They accomplish so little, so by the end of the film, it feels a little too unimportant. Those were definitely drawbacks.

The cast is fairly good. I really enjoyed Ethan Hawke in the lead role. He gave a good performance and his wonder and awe were contagious. It was a good call putting him in this role. I thought River Phoenix put a lot of effort into his performance, but I never quite believed he was this ultra-intelligent kid. His performance felt more forced than natural. Still, he had some really good moments. Jason Presson was fine. He didn't have as hard of a role as the other two, but he still contributed to the film. As a whole, it was fun seeing these three unlikely friends interact. I loved seeing James Cromwell in a small supporting role. I thought Dick Miller gave a strong supporting performance, but his character's story was ultimately disappointing. He was underutilized for sure.

As a whole, Explorers was a good movie. It had a lot of fun, entertaining moments. However, the film as a whole ultimately feels a bit disappointing. It's not the amazing adventure it advertised itself to be. It could have been better. Still, I choose to focus on the positives and this is an enjoyable science fiction adventure movie from the 80s.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Innerspace, Flight of the Navigator, The Last Starfighter