Flight of the Navigator (1986) User Reviews

Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage!

[vertigo_14 · 7/10 · 27 April 2004]

Flight of the Navigator is one of those terrific adventure films for kids, even after all these years. It also falls into a long line of fun 80s sci-fi/adventure family movies.

Davey (Joey Cramer) goes into the woods looking for his little brother one evening in 1978. When he wakes up after a brief period of unconsciousness, he turns into a scientific marvel. Nothing is as Davey remembers it, but he can't figure out why because he only fell asleep for a brief period.

Davey is told that his parents reported the young boy missing in 1978, the evening that he went searching in the woods for his younger brother, referring to the incident in the past tense because it is 1985. Only Davey is still exactly the same age and everything he was from 1978, while time has passed for everyone else. His little brother is now his big brother (Matt Adler). His parents are old. Everyone is confused and the scientific world find the situation fascinating.

The scientists turn Davey into their personal guinea pig, running tests and probing him and all that junk. And soon they discover, that Davey was abducted. Davey, understandably a confused little kid, can't figure out what's going on and he sure doesn't want to be locked up in some lab where people prod at him all day long and tell him very little. So, he breaks lose, and hops aboard the spaceship that took him through time before. While it is an escape from the scientists and their security (briefly), it also holds the answers to what happened to him. It is also an opportunity for Davey to learn everything from this spaceship. And a kid's movie isn't complete without personifying inanimate objects. The spaceship is essentially controlled by Max, which is like it's CPU, a CPU with a cool sense of humor who likewise tries to learn about human emotions and condition from his passenger, Davey.

Filmed around Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, it is still a cool movie for kids...teenagers...whatever, having a little bit of something for everyone. Great humor, cool special effects, and the like.

A Delightful Sci-Fi From the 1980s

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 6 January 2004]

In 1978, in Fort Lauderdale, the twelve years old David Freeman (Joey Cramer) goes through the grove to bring his younger brother back home. He slides, falls in a hole and faints. When he wakes up and goes home, eight years have passed and he has not aged. Meanwhile, NASA scientists find a spacecraft near to a fallen electric tower. David is brought to NASA to be studied and soon he realizes that he can communicate with the UFO. He finds out that he was sent to a distant planet in a very high speed and became the navigator of the spacecraft. In his life, he had lost 4.4 hours. On Earth, eight years have passed. This movie is a delightful entertainment, using good special effects and having a very reasonable story. It is a family entertainment, indicated for all ages. Sarah Jessica Parker, famous presently due to the show `From Sex and the City', has a minor participation as a trainee in NASA. My vote is seven.

I loved this film... and still do.

[wrightiswright · 8/10 · 22 January 2017]

This is one of those movies where you KNOW it isn't perfect... Did they HAVE to insert in an entirely redundant cute alien creature, for example? And wasn't the spaceship MUCH more appealing with a robotic, apathetic voice at the start then as the jive talking', clownish 'best buddy' that he becomes later? Yes, and YES.

But to a kid who grew up with this film, such imperfections don't matter a jot. You were THERE, flying through the sky, plunging into the ocean and almost crash landing into the Earth at the speed of light.

Even watching as a adult, the memories still linger... but the film is more than just a mildly pleasant nostalgia trip. Check out the cutting-edge special effects, and the excessively poignant meeting Kevin has with his family in the future where he hasn't aged a day.

Pure magic. 8/10.

Where did Disney come up with this?! It's (gasp) original!

[AllMT3 · 14 September 2003]

You know the drill: 12 year old David falls into a ravine in the woods and discovers when he wakes up that he's been missing for eight years. He also discovers that he's hearing voices that seem to come from a mysterious craft housed in a NASA hangar.

My two cents worth: In a time when all the live action Disney movies seem to be a variant on "I was normal but just discovered I am/have just been mistaken for royalty/merperson/rock star/leprechaun/etc., this movie from the 1980's is a real breath of fresh air.

The scenario, waking up and discovering that everything except you has changed, and knowing you'll be somebody's idea of a guinea pig for the rest of your life, is instantly relatable and creepy, whether you're a kid or an adult. The kid fainting, the change in the two brother's relationship due to the age flop, parents trying to protect their son, government trying to exploit the kid's knowledge, everyone's reactions to the situation are all logical and believable.

And who hasn't wanted a chance to fly a saucer? Having Max, the ship's pilot, be a robot was another stroke of brilliance. So many movies have the aliens flying all the way here to come visit us face to face. But if we send machines to other planets because it's cheaper than going ourselves, why wouldn't they? And having him learn about Earth courtesy of a 12-year-old's TV polluted brain was hysterical.

The movie seems a little dated today; but it's forgivable because, like Back to the Future, it's set so specifically in a certain frame of time (you expect it to look and sound like 1986 because, hey, they keep telling you that's when it is.)

Recommendations: Back to the Future and Big are the two I can think of that are most along these lines.

Great fun

[cosmic_quest · 7/10 · 10 August 2006]

'Flight of the Navigator' might have been produced in the mid-Eighties but it certainly hasn't lost it's charm over the last twenty years and it does stand up well against more recent family film offerings.

The story begins in 1978 with twelve-year-old David Freeman, a happy all-American kid who lives with his loving parents and typically bratty eight-year-old brother Jeff. One night he sets off into the woods to look for Jeff only to be knocked unconscious when he falls from a ravine. When David awakes in what seems like hours later to him, he discovers actually eight years have passed and it is now 1986. Although he is still twelve years old, the world has moved on and even his little brother is older than he is. NASA are very interested in David when his EEG scan reveal readings in the shape of a UFO they have discovered and other scans of the boy result in star charts of distant galaxies being spewed out from the computers. But our hero is determined to return to his family so he breaks free and hides aboard the UFO which holds the key to everything.

Joey Cramer gives a likable performance as David, a boy who enjoys adventures but ultimately just wants to be with his family. I think anyone watching the film would empathise with his character's anger and sense of helplessness when David discovers NASA have no intention of letting him go home. Matt Adler as sixteen-year-old Jeff is another notable actor in the film in the way he depicts his character's uncertainty of dealing with his little big brother and his developing protectiveness towards David. Also, look out for a younger Sarah Jessica Parker.

For those who watched 'Flight of the Navigator' as children in the Eighties, there is definitely a nostalgic feeling to it. However, I think children of present day would still enjoy the film as it has a little of everything and issues raised as still relevant and/or interesting today such as pre-teen crushes, annoying kid brothers, the thrill of following a hero on his 'quest', a fun mentor for the hero (even if it is metallic!) and arrogant scientist-types. It is important to remember that this is a children's film aimed very much at an eight- to twelve-year-old demography so it doesn't delve too deeply but the plot is quite unique, the characters are interesting and it is a film that is well put-together. Certainly one to enjoy with the whole family.

David and the compliant Phaleon.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 6 January 2013]

Flight of the Navigator is directed by Randal Kleiser and is adapted to screenplay by Michael Burton and Matt MacManus from a story by Mark H. Baker. It stars Joey Cramer, Veronica Cartwright, Cliff De Young, Sarah Jessica Parker, Howard Hesseman and the voice of Paul Reubens. Music is by Alan Silvestri and cinematography is by James Glennon and Eric McGraw.

Young David Freeman (Cramer) is out in the woods near his home in Fort Lauderdale when he falls down a ravine and is knocked unconscious. Waking up he finds that the world around him has advanced by 8 years but he hasn't. After being reunited with his overjoyed parents, it becomes apparent that David has had an encounter with a extra terrestrial life form, which of course greatly interests the authorities...

It's a family friendly sci-fi with a difference, in that it doesn't have to take us into space for its tale, yet this in no way detracts from how enjoyable Flight of the Navigator is. It is told from young David's perspective (with Cramer impressionable), thus it firmly engages the kids in the audience. The relationship between David and the Phaleon computer system (Reubens) engages with witty chatter and educational purpose, and the effects work should not be taken for granted either. If we are to be picky then the build up is a touch long before the pic goes "extra terrestrial", and Cartwright and De Young are barely given time to impact as parents coming to terms with a family life turned upside down. But small complaints really and this is a lovely film, one that isn't just for 1980s nostalgists. 7/10

"Compliance!"

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 17 December 2013]

Fun sci-fi family movie about a twelve year-old boy (Joey Cramer) who disappears and returns eight years later, still twelve years old and unaware he's been missing. At the same time, NASA finds a spaceship but are unable to open it. NASA attempts to hold the boy against his will, but he escapes on board the spaceship. Paul Reubens is great as the voice of Max, the ship's computer.

This is an awesome '80s movie. A good story told with nice special effects and lots of heart. The cast is terrific. In addition to Cramer and Reubens, there's Sarah Jessica Parker in an early role, Veronica Cartwright and Cliff De Young as the boy's parents, and Howard Hesseman as the film's antagonist.

One of the very best Sci-fi Family Movies of the 80's

[daddydow · 10/10 · 9 June 2004]

I had seen this movie on VHS back in the 80's and I now have children and just watched this movie with them on DVD. The film still has presence and the special effects are still quite good even considering they are now near 20 years old. Very impressive and my children are now complete fans of the movie.

If you have never seen this film, I would recommend it whole-heartedly for the entire family. If it has been sometime since you watched this film I would say check it out, well worth a return visit.

One thing I have to mention is the joy I was receiving just watching my children (ages 4 through 8) experience this movie for the first time. Even after all of the Hi-tech movies they have seen in recent years this movie was still able to capture their attention, hold it and entertain just as well as anything in recent memory (such as Spiderman, Hulk or even Spy Kids).

My children wanted to re-watch it immediately after it ended, it was that good in their (short attention span) minds.

5 out of 5 stars from me and mine.

**Although regarding the DVD transfer, it could have used some extra's, even a trailer from the original film, however there were none, simple menu access and set-up options only, enjoyable none-the-less.

Cool kid's film

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 28 May 2015]

I remember catching this on TV as a kid and really liking it. Not much has changed in the years since, as this is still a cool, fun kid's adventure film, perhaps not as in depth or as well made as Joe Dante's EXPLORERS but nevertheless a firm staple of a 1980s childhood.

The storyline is split into two halves, and the first half actually turns out to be an intriguing mystery about a boy who suffers a fall in the woods and who wakes up to discover eight years have mysteriously disappeared. Joey Cramer makes for a likable lead; maybe he's not the best actor in the world but I found myself caring about and identifying with his character.

After this set-up, the second half lets rip with an exhilarating fantasy set piece in which the lad takes a journey around the world in a really cool-looking UFO. There are some excellent special effects here and plenty of humour thanks to the reliably strange Paul Reubens in a voice performance. It's all very lightweight but no less entertaining because of it. Sarah Jessica Parker turns up in an early supporting role and Veronica Cartwright (ALIEN) is as good value as ever playing the kid's stressed-out mother.

Fantastic!

[e_imdb-48 · 10/10 · 20 September 2004]

This film is to blame for my over active imagination. Saw it on TV when i was at school and watched it over and over ever since! Though the quality of the film was not something i would have noticed when i was that age, i did notice the amazing special effects (for that era of cinematographic effects).

The ship design (Steve Austin) is truly inspired (especially when in 'first class manouvre' mode!!) and stylistically has stood the test of time (it could quite easily pass off as futuristic in new films today. Maybe he should have done some more design work(?).

And my favourite character ... 'Al', the big guy at the service station ('Rusty' Pouch), best bit of acting ever!

The flight scenes and the concept of flying in a cool spaceship caught my young mind most of all. As i watched it time and time again, the many other factors proved to play a major part of the film. The music score for one is great and for me has become a critical part of the film (I love the 80's synth!)

All in all, this piece of cinema was very very well thought out, constructed, produced, acted, all fitting together in a film that many films could never achieve.

Go buy it on DVD!

E:)

Pee-Wee the UFO

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 8 August 2019]

David Freeman (Joey Cramer) was a regular 12-year-old boy living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida until he fell into a ditch and was knocked unconscious. When he awoke things had drastically changed. For him it was merely four hours later but for everyone else it was eight years later. He discovered this massive time shift when his house was occupied by new people.

At this same time NASA got a hold of a UFO with no discernible way of entering it until they became aware of David. David would eventually be drawn to the spaceship--which spoke--and the two of them went on a high speed adventure.

Along with giving us Paul Reubens aka Pee-Wee Herman as a voice for the ship we got some other 1980's specific nuggets. Carolyn McAdams (Sarah Jessica Parker) reminded us that from 1978 to 1986 music videos were created, rock groups had weird names like Twisted Sister, computers and robotics were on the uptick, and coke had at least four types (New Coke, Classic Coke, Cherry Coke, and Caffeine Free Coke). This movie should've been put in a time capsule.

The movie was really about David and the ship's adventure. The ship was standard robot speak for a bit until it began to sound more like Pee-Wee Herman. This was a fun mildly exciting movie that is perfectly suited for kids.

A classic family movie

[Juni78ukr · 9/10 · 16 January 2006]

For the fist time I saw Flight of The Navigator when I was a kid, nearly twenty years ago. I remember young soviet kids flocked into the theaters to see a strange American movie and somehow taped it but too many time has passed and all these years it was like a rather unclear distant memory for me, a distant memory of something pretty good and even beautiful. Since then I was unable to find it and watch it again and only recently I caught in on a cable TV channel. Despite being twenty seven years old now I still liked it a lot.

Flight of The Navigator is a very good Sci-fi family movie despite (or some people could say thanks to) it is not as overloaded by the special effects as most of such modern movies. That left enough place not only for pure entertainment bit also for emotions and some pretty nice scenes with rather good dialogs. It the story of an eleven years old boy, who after a strange and quite inexplicable contact with something looked like an alien ship got moved through the time into future several years ago, which passed for him like a couple of hours. In this future he takes an adventure to find an explanation what really happened with him. Flight of The Navigator is a very enjoyable movie for whole family, which deserves much more appreciation than overwhelming majority of recent family movies.

9 out of 10

Pleasant landing

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 18 August 2008]

I watched this on television, seemingly cut for such. I think I expected different things of this, but I can't claim that it's poorly done. The acting, perhaps excepting any other kid(which there weren't many of) than the main one, is rather solid. The plot isn't bad, and they did employ an actual scientific theory. The pacing is remarkable, this flows and flies smoothly. The writing is good and consistent, albeit viewers are required to accept stuff that strains suspension of disbelief. The humor is plentiful, with no overdone gags or jokes, if repetition and silliness(I could have done without the gross-out material, even if there isn't that much of it, and the fact that it was confined to a single scene) are apparent throughout this, and the entire thing, partially also clear in the tone, while that isn't that bothersome, is directed at children. I must admit that it is done with care. The cinematography and editing are talented. The effects are fantastic, and not just for the time, with realistic reflection and fluid motion. There is a little language in it, maybe harsh at least considering who its intended audience is. There is nothing else that parents may deem inappropriate for their offspring, save for a couple of actions that can be imitated(and definitely shouldn't be). I recommend this to those who enjoy lighthearted sci-fi fare, in particular those who can appreciate that kind of film not being, or having to be, stupid. 7/10

Cool until Paul Reubens Shows up...

[alyssabond · 5/10 · 13 June 2014]

This is a tough one. I saw this movie as a child, and it stuck with me as something I loved. But then I revisited it as an adult, and it didn't hold up that well. I wish I could give two ratings, one from me as a kid (probably an 8 or 9) and then one for me as an adult (probably a 3 or 4 at best). To make the compromise I did a 5.

The story is fairly original, and the acting is fine. The spaceship effects hold up relatively well. I like the kid (what else did he do?? I feel like I didn't see him in much else).

I don't think this is a spoiler, or hope not anyway, but if you're at all concerned with things like then then read no further.

One place that really messes the movie up for me though, is when the alien ship AI personality makes a shift from this kind of cool mysterious robot voice, to the voice of Paul Reubens (AKA Pee-Wee Herman, doing his Pee-Wee Herman voice no less). I felt like as a kid this worked, it was kind of hip and cool and fun. But as an adult, it turns the alien ship into a really annoying character, and I feel a lot less sympathy for everyone involved.

1986: The movie!

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 12 June 2012]

What's strange about "Flight of the Navigator" is that it's really two different movies, and they work pretty well together. It's marketed as an adventure flick with a boy and his buddy robot spaceship, but that doesn't actually kick in for a good 45 minutes. Up until that point, David Freeman's an unsolved mystery, missing for 8 years, and there's some dramatic subject matter here for a kids movie (Disney, no less).

But then they find each other and that's where the movie really gets its footing. Joey Cramer and Paul Reubens have a good working chemistry; Reubens (and some good puppeteering) breathe some real life into Max, I was surprised.

This is one of those movies I'd watched a lot as a kid, and still holds up today. Mainly as an '80s movie. Even though David was a prisoner at NASA, they filled his room with some nice merch; that's what you tend to remember about a movie at that age. As an adult I wouldn't mind having his family's waterfront house. And that synth score really sticks out (this is a positive).

It's a movie I did not mind revisiting.

7/10

Eight Years in Space...Or Is It?

[MIK7x3 · 26 September 2000]

It was during the spring of 1995, while on vacation in Fort Lauderdale, that I read an eerie headline in the Sun-Sentinel. An elderly woman was dying of cancer, and she proclaimed that she wished to see her son one last time. What makes the story eerie is that her son disappeared from the Fort Lauderdale area in 1978, just like David Scott Freeman in "Flight of the Navigator". On the morning of July 5, 1978, Helen and Bill Freeman (Veronica Cartwright and Cliff DeYoung) awoke to learn that their son David (Joey Cramer) was missing. Eight years later, in 1986, he returned, not having aged a minute. Meanwhile, a flying saucer from the planet Phelan has landed on earth. It was later determined that all of its starcharts and artificial intelligence have escaped into David's brain. A team of NASA scientists led by Dr. Faraday (Howard Hesseman) is determined to research the connection between the alien ship and the time travelling David. Will David remain a lab rat for the rest of his life, or will he escape to freedom? There's only one way to find out, and that is by watching the movie. Perhaps there are several themes to this movie. Many families have lived with the tragedy of missing their children, and retrieving them is an arduous and time consuming task that often goes unfulfilled. It can also be seen as a story of alienation someone mired in 1978 may face if he were to suddenly awake in 1986. During those eight years, as David learned, his family moved and aged, Jimmy Carter was voted out of office, "Starsky and Hutch" went off the air, four new kinds of Coca-Cola hit the shelves, some girls began to dye their hair purple, and an all-male group named Twisted Sister replaced the Bee Gees as the most popular band of the time. Take note of the cameo appearances of Sarah Jessica Parker as NASA assistant Carolyn McAdams, and of Paul Reubens as the voice of Max. To answer your question, Chad Perman, Joey Cramer is alive and well and living in Vancouver. Having visited South Florida several times, I can add one last message of the movie. It really does feel like eight years when you travel up the I-95 instead of taking the Turnpike!

Forgotten little 80's adventure movie

[Superunknovvn · 6/10 · 23 April 2006]

"Flight Of The Navigator" is a kids movie and as such it has every right not to really make sense. In other words everybody who tries to pick it apart and tries to find plot holes is a hopeless geek who takes things too seriously. This movie isn't even trying to convey a coherent story.

Nonetheless, it is a bit disappointing that after the first very strong half the movie kind of drifts into an amusement park ride with the main character just flying around in the alien ship. That may be fun to watch for kids who also like "Knight Rider", but it's kind of tedious for anybody who's a fan of actual storytelling. Ultimately, it's the movie's gimmicky, but plot less second half that prevented "Flight Of The Navigator" from becoming a box office hit, let alone a classic like "E.T.". That's a bit of a pity since the direction and especially the special effects hold up extremely well to this day and could have made for a much more memorable motion picture.

If you like adventure movies with a nostalgic 80's feel to them, "Flight Of The Navigator" will not fail to entertain you on a Saturday afternoon. Kids between 8 and 13 are going to love it anyway.

Light, Kid-Geared Science Fiction From a Bygone Age

[drqshadow-reviews · 6/10 · 26 May 2021]

An upper-middle class kid from Miami falls into a dark, spooky ravine, bumps his head and wakes up eight years later, physically unchanged. While undergoing tests at the local hospital, his brain waves hijack the electronic monitoring equipment to display star charts and spaceship schematics. This quickly draws the attention of NASA, who have just captured a matching craft, and they take him in for further evaluation.

I think any kid who came of age in the '80s saw this multiple times, like a rite of passage, so there's a certain amount of nostalgia at play that's tough to overstate. It looks like the '80s, acts like the '80s, most definitely sounds like the '80s, and that feels intrinsically warm and welcoming to middle-agers like me. Hey, I can still remember seeing boxes of Transformers in the kid's temporary bedroom, cheap trinkets to make him feel at-home inside the cold government testing facility, and wishing we could swap places.

Viewing it now, as an adult, I think the aura is nice and enjoyed the entry-level explanation of how light speed travel can cause such weird time paradoxes. But, despite the intriguing premise and challenging first act, the plot doesn't really go anywhere spectacular. All the momentum pushes us toward the ship, yet when we finally climb aboard, there isn't much to see. After ogling all the chrome fixtures, making nice with the AI (voiced by an ascending Paul Reubens) and browsing an onboard zoo of Muppet critters, we just sort of joyride around the country for a little while, dodge a few helicopters and go home. I thought it was building to something more consequential.

More than meets the eye

[shneur · 8/10 · 5 June 2005]

This movie is an entertaining fantasy, but there's quite a bit more to it just beneath the surface. The protagonist is a 12-y/o kid raised, as most are in Western culture, to be incompetent, overly dependent on adults, and untrusting of his own judgment. When he finds himself aboard an alien spacecraft, he naturally first attempts to transfer that dependency to the robotic pilot Max, which, all-seeing eye and all, represents the omniscient grown-up. As time goes on, though, David begins to realize that: 1) his own interests do not in fact always coincide with Max's, 2)that therefore he must advocate for himself to achieve a favorable outcome, and 3) that he's the one who has to decide just what outcome will best meet his needs. Much unlike most "kid movies," this character shows real growth, and in the end confronts a real moral and personal dilemma. Whether you agree with his choice or not, you have to respect him for what he has become.

A likeable family sci-fi adventure film that has a big heart

[Colbridge · 6/10 · 8 June 2021]

Independently made and later picked up by Disney for distribution this science fiction comedy directed by Randal Kleiser is a likeable family adventure with a big heart. It's not in the realms of E. T. and the special effects are rather clunky by today's standards but if you can look past that there is much to enjoy in this sweet, charming family film with a good cast, including a scene stealing computer voiced by Paul Reubens.

My favourite childhood movie

[nanootwilson · 10/10 · 15 July 2006]

This film stands out as my favourite childhood movie. I have searched my brain for the name of it for years, even as I remembered full scenes, extremely detailed. I just couldn't remember the name of the film. I started renting anything I recognized from when I was young - and ended up watching some great films (although most were slower than I remembered them to be). But, finally, I found this, my favourite film, and I have to say it is just as exciting and cool and exciting as I remembered (keep in mind, even as a young person, I had a keen eye for excellence in film :) ). I recommend this film completely.

Enjoy it!

It's good enough

[ericstevenson · 7/10 · 12 April 2018]

I only watched this because Doug Walker said it was in his Top 10 Favorite Disney films. While the movie is certainly fine, I don't think it's great. This movie tells the story of a boy who, one night is knocked unconscious to find out eight years have passed. It's because he was abducted by an alien spaceship causing time to move differently. He doesn't remember what happened. Now, here's the thing that really does bother me about this film.

It is literally never explained exactly how or why the boy's memory was erased. Still, this is a finely acted film and I do really like the kid in this. It seems to be partly inspired by ET, a far superior film of course. Some people think the first half is great and the second half is just okay, but I enjoy both parts. It helps that the buildup is so good. I don't know why Paul Reubens was billed as Paul Mill. ***

This movie is 2 thumbs up and a ten on my IMDb rating!

[ghettodogaudio06 · 10/10 · 18 March 2008]

I've been saving that DVD to watch for a rainy day or a day off in my case. I was way too young too remember this movie from 1986 as I was only three years old. Cool sci-fi movie that is in the same realm of coolness as ET. A young boy is asked by his mother to go get his younger brother from the neighbors. The kid named David, falls down this ravine and hits his head. He passes out and finds himself awake 8 years later and everything has changed including his family. I am not going to wreck the plot anymore you will have to watch this movie. My roommate is already mad at me for spoiling some of the plot because I thought this movie was awesome. And Sarah Jessica Parker is pretty hot as she is sooooooo young in this movie and it was way before her Sex In The City success in the nineties. Flight Of The Navigator is a movie I know I will watch again as I love movies from the eighties and movies filled with adventure and worlds we couldn't even imagine in our existence.

Great adventure film, but too darn short!

[abrafocus · 7/10 · 4 May 2006]

The only problem I have with this movie is that it's not long enough. Other than that, it's worth watching. There is some questionable language, but if you know where it is, you can always mute it if you want to.

***Spoilers Galore!***

12-year-old David Freeman has a very annoying little brother - Jeff, who I guess is 8 years old. One night, I think on the Fourth of July, Jeff scares David so much, David has finally had it. But before he could get revenge, he falls down a cliff. When he wakes up, he's still 12 years, but in the year 1986. Through several adventures, he finally finds the source to something very strange, a spaceship, and the pilot is a strange-looking machine b y the name of Max. Max gathers information in David's brain, and after many adventures, David wants to return home to the right year, 1978. But Max is hesitant, saying that it would be too dangerous. When David persists, Max finally does so. You'll have to watch it for yourself to find out if David survives.

Like I said above, it's not long enough, but if you're in the mood for a short non-animated movie, this is the one to pick.

My Score: 7/10.

The First Half is Great...

[junk-monkey · 5/10 · 9 December 2005]

OK First up. I'm not the target audience for this movie and I didn't see it when I was a kid so I'm not looking at it with the warm glow of nostalgia. So I guess I'm going to p!ss some people off with this review.

The first half of this movie is, not to mince words, great. Even to my middle-aged jaded eyes it is a great start. Nicely acted, nicely paced, and nicely directed ( I loved the opening shot and the 2 subsequent UFOs that weren't). David, the eldest son of a Standard Disney All American Family, slips and falls whilst in the woods one night. Returning home he finds eight years have passed. Simltaniously an alien Space ship has crashed into a power pylon; later the NASA scientists studying it discover that David has information in his head that directly links him with the alien space ship. They start to analyse the knowledge that has been placed in his brain...

Up until this point the movie has been building up a nice eerie edge, The scenes where David is reunited with his family have an emotional punch. There is some real tension building up, tension which dissolves almost immediately Sarah Jessica Parker and her obvious plot device on wheels turns up and is only just being built up again when David enters the ship (via the obvious plot device on wheels) As soon as he steps onto the space ship the whole movie just falls flat on its arse.

David just flies about a bit then has the star charts which were (for no apparent reason)pumped into his brain during the missing eight years read by the spaceship who managed to loose his copy while crashing into the power line...? What!? Oh come on! This is stupid. Even for a Disney kids movie, this is stupid stupid stupid film-making. The alien robot ship then turns into a cool talking dude, shows him the other 'samples' one of which eats David's hat then belches (a particularly thin and annoying 'joke' that seems to amuse American movie directors and no one else). David teaches the spaceship about music - a space-faring race that has examined dozens of other sentient species, can speak English, and has never heard of music?. Then they fly about for a bit unable to find Florida. When they do get there, via Japan, David decides that he wants to attempt to travel back in time to 1987. He travels back in time. He doesn't disintegrate. He is reunited with his family for the second time in the movie. Was it all a dream? No! He still has the cute little orphaned alien he picked up with him.

OK, maybe I'm being harsh here. It's a kids film after all. But it started out so well. It showed great promise. Then it just copped out the second half of the film is just David flying the ship around. There is no threat, no mystery, no plot, no tension. It's boring. And Max the spaceship was for me,after about 3 minutes, a winner of the prestigious Ja-Ja Binks most Annoying Character in a SF Movie of the Year Award.