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Explorers

Play trailer Poster for Explorers PG Released Jul 12, 1985 1h 44m Kids & Family Sci-Fi Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
49% Tomatometer 98 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Young Ben Crandall (Ethan Hawke) spends his free time watching sci-fi films, playing video games and reading comic books. Surprisingly, his affinity for all things fantastical yields a real result -- when he has a vivid dream about technology, his science-loving friend Wolfgang Muller (River Phoenix) manages to create a working spacecraft. Joined by their buddy Darren Woods (Jason Presson), the boys take off into outer space and encounter some very odd extraterrestrial life.
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Explorers

Explorers

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Critics Consensus

With a terrific young cast and some typically energetic work from director Joe Dante, Explorers soars past its '80s kiddie flick competitors with wit, good-looking effects, and tons of charm.

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Critics Reviews

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J. Hoberman Village Voice The film is overplotted and rickety. Jul 11, 2025 Full Review David Ansen Newsweek The early stuff is aimed at the kids, the payoff can be properly savored only by adults, the finale is limp. Jul 11, 2025 Full Review Rex Reed New York Post It's as devoid of ideas as it is of content. Jul 11, 2025 Full Review Pam Cook Monthly Film Bulletin If Explorers lacks a certain bite, it is arguably both a coherent development of Dante's ideas and an attempt to making something more of the s-f pre-teen pic than action-drama bolstered by set-piece special effects. Jul 10, 2025 Full Review Michael Sragow Boston Phoenix Show-biz jokes and movie magic blend in a junk-food casserole that's surprisingly tasty and nutritious. Jul 10, 2025 Full Review South Florida Sun-Sentinel Staff South Florida Sun-Sentinel Derivative ideas, an uneven central performance and awkward handling of the elements by director Joe Dante hurt this film. Rated: 1.5/4 Jul 10, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C Success in 1 hour and 44 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/04/25 Full Review Host J Great film, still waiting for the sequel. I'm going back to the 80's to find good stuff for my kids to watch. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/15/25 Full Review 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 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 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 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 out of 5 stars 07/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Explorers

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Movie Info

Synopsis Young Ben Crandall (Ethan Hawke) spends his free time watching sci-fi films, playing video games and reading comic books. Surprisingly, his affinity for all things fantastical yields a real result -- when he has a vivid dream about technology, his science-loving friend Wolfgang Muller (River Phoenix) manages to create a working spacecraft. Joined by their buddy Darren Woods (Jason Presson), the boys take off into outer space and encounter some very odd extraterrestrial life.
Director
Joe Dante
Producer
Edward S. Feldman, David Bombyk
Screenwriter
Eric Luke
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures, Paramount Pictures International
Rating
PG
Genre
Kids & Family, Sci-Fi, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 12, 1985, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2017
Runtime
1h 44m
Sound Mix
Surround
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