Explorers

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Josiah G The kid actors were okay, but the story dragged and was pretty boring until the halfway/two-thirds mark when suddenly HOOO BOY WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW when they met the aliens. At that point, it had a very "the writers were on drugs" feeling to it, and I wanted to just die. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 05/28/25 Full Review He-Rex C Overlooked classic from the 1985 movie treasure trove. Great chemistry between the young actors, featuring River Phoenix. Also a fantastic musical score by Jerry Goldsmith. Explorers pays homage to the classic Sci-Fi films of the '50's, while embracing the whacky sensibilities of the old cartoon Looney Tunes. If you allow yourself to let go, and accept the silliness of it all, you'll have a blast. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/28/24 Full Review Jeff M The first half of this movie is so engaging and entertaining that the downhill trajectory it ends up taking becomes that much more disappointing. Although I liked it more than the overrated GOONIES, which came out the same year, this is a case of extreme potential gone bad. Let's start with the good... The three young actors have a wonderful STANDY BY ME-esque chemistry together which immediately endears us to their characters. It's always bittersweet to see Phoenix in a move considering his premature demise, but he is as winning here as ever, and it's rare to see him in a "nerdy" role. But the movie belongs to Hawke, and he shows the enthusiasm and magnetism here that would lead to a decades long career. Like I said, the first half is delightful, but the film takes a sharp left turn once the boys go into space and come into contact with extraterrestrial life force. Sorry, but there's no way to put it bluntly - these scenes are lousy. I like the idea of aliens assuming earthlings are identical to what they see on TV, but the ETs themselves are unengaging rejects from a Saturday morning kids show. And the references used are going to go over the heads of those the movie is intended to please. It's a crucial misstep that cripples the movie. There are some other minor quibbles, mainly a school bully and a curious police officer who are introduced and basically forgotten about like they never existed. And I'm hoping Mary Kay Place as Ben's mom took this nothing role as a favor - it would be depressing if this was the best work she could find. The three young actors are almost enough for a slight recommendation, but I can't quite bring myself to do it. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/24 Full Review NONE BUT C UNDERRATED CLASSIC! I LOVE THIS FLICK. MUST SEE FAMILY FILM. THE BEST. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/26/23 Full Review Audience Member An almost great movie until it gets weird “well weirder” and goofy too. The kids were good, as was the story but mostly before it added aliens. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/13/23 Full Review Crom W Starts off well with a great cast, but half way through it get boring to the end. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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