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Plot:
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 s...( read more 
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:September 19, 2008
Loved this movie as a kid - and it's still a fun one to watch, even if it is a little dated. It's worth a look for the curiosity value alone - Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix in their younger, more innocent days.
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MCT:September 15, 2008this is a really gd movie its awesome joe dante makes really gd movies if you have not seen this movie then you have to you wont regert it youll love it and river phoenix did great in it he looked like a geek lol well its about 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 seem? and this movie was kinda weird to but in a gd way love this movie and in This adventurous space tale stars Ethan Hawke and young star River Phoenix as misfit best friends whose dreams of space travel become a reality when they create an interplanetary spacecraft in their homemade laboratory. Ben Crandall is a young visionary who dreams of space travel while watching late-night B monster movies, pouring over comic books, and playing Galaga in the confines of his bedroom. But one night he has a vivid dream of flying over a space-like circuit board and shares his visions with his best friend Wolfgang, a young scientific genius who is able to translate his dreams into a complex computer program that actually works. With the help of their new friend, they create a homemade spacecraft and embark on a secret adventure to another galaxy where they find that things are not always as different as they seem.
With an impressive list of credits behind him, the teenage River Phoenix could have demanded a regular spot on any number of TV series but he chose not to go down that path. His quote ?Some people find security in a routine, but I could never live that way.? probably reflected his early itinerant lifestyle. So it was back to auditions but, this time, it was for feature films.
River did not have long to wait for his mainscreen debut as he was chosen as one of the three main characters in Joe Dante?s ?Explorers? which was shot in 1984/85. The fans of River Phoenix were horrified when they saw his new image in this movie ? that of a bespectacled computer nerd with his long hair cropped short! ?Explorers? gave the careers of several child actors a massive boost as it was early outings for Jason Presson, Danny Nucci, Taliesin Jaffe and Bobby Fite and marked the debut of Ethan Hawke.
Over 4,000 aspiring young actors were auditioned for the three leading roles in ?Explorers? before Phoenix, Hawke and Presson were cast. River was actually originally cast as the kid from the wrong side of the tracks, the part that was eventually filled by Presson. The casting directors wanted River to play Wolfgang Muller and, though he obviously agreed, River detested the glasses and wasn?t keen on having his hair cut short. Reviewers gave the film the thumbs-up with Phoenix and Hawke receiving most of the plaudits, but it bombed at the box office. It was, however, the first large stepping stone in the film career of River Phoenix. so if you have not seen it then you have to see it you wont regert it=D
and The wonderful thing about kids films is that no matter how silly and unbelievable they may seem they have a way of making you think anything is possible, and this film is no exception.
The acting from all three kids was great, but that is hardly suprising considering two of them grew up to become the oscar nominated actors Ethan Hawk, and the sadly missed River Phoenix. It is a shame that Jason Presson dropped out of the acting circle, as he was my favourite character is this film (well besides River who I love in everything)
The special effects were not great, but since a lot of the storyline had to do with dreaming it actually fit quiet well with the narrative, plus you forget how good the effects are just by being sucked into the silly, but ultimatly fun adventure.
Overall definatly a childrens film I would recommend. so if you have not seen it then its a must see and Good kids movie. It was cool to see River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke as young kids. Still both brilliant actors. The story is simple and slightly stupid but it works in some weird way. I watched it quite a few times as a kid. Worth a couple of watches. but then it get boring and such 2 really gd actors in here loved this film when i was a kid it never gets old=D
Ben Crandall: [to Steve Jackson, a school bully] Elephantitis is when something gets bloated and ugly like your ASS.
Ben Crandall: [stuttering, astounded at the violent film footage] But thi - see, this isn't real! A-a-and we don't really kill people! Well, we do, b-but n-not aliens, 'cause we haven't met any!
Ben Crandall: Mom.
Mrs. Crandall: Yeah.
Ben Crandall: Remember that stuff you were tellin' me about your dreams and doin' what you want to do. Well, if I really want to be an astronaut and go out in space - and really do that, it'd be ok, right?
Mrs. Crandall: Sure honey, if that's what you really want to do.
Ben Crandall: Ok.
Mrs. Crandall: [hugs him] Sleep tight.
Ben Crandall: Good night.
[then, after she's left the room]
Ben Crandall: Bye Mom. -
MCT:August 21, 2008
i love this movie i thought it was great and i thought river phoenix and ethan hawke and the other guy i cant remneber his name well if you havent seen this movie you should see it its the best and if you like ethan hawke or river phoenix or movies directed by joe dante then you have to see this or if you like family moives
and its about This adventurous space tale stars Ethan Hawke and young star River Phoenix as misfit best friends whose dreams of space travel become a reality when they create an interplanetary spacecraft in their homemade laboratory. Ben Crandall is a young visionary who dreams of space travel while watching late-night B monster movies, pouring over comic books, and playing Galaga in the confines of his bedroom. But one night he has a vivid dream of flying over a space-like circuit board and shares his visions with his best friend Wolfgang, a young scientific genius who is able to translate his dreams into a complex computer program that actually works -
A young scientific genius dreams space travel 1 night of a circuit board: Ben Crandall (Ethan Hawke) is able to translate his dreams into a complex computer program that actually works
with help his 2 friends: Wolfgang Müller (River Phoenix), & Darren Woods (Jason Presson) set it up to create a homemade spacecraft in their homemade laborator when they named a starship called; "ThunderRoad," embark on a secret adventure to another galaxy. -
MCT:July 16, 2008
The wonderful thing about kids films is that no matter how silly and unbelievable they may seem they have a way of making you think anything is possible, and this film is no exception.
The acting from all three kids was great, but that is hardly suprising considering two of them grew up to become the oscar nominated actors Ethan Hawk, and the sadly missed River Phoenix. It is a shame that Jason Presson dropped out of the acting circle, as he was my favourite character is this film (well besides River who I love in everything)
The special effects were not great, but since a lot of the storyline had to do with dreaming it actually fit quiet well with the narrative, plus you forget how good the effects are just by being sucked into the silly, but ultimatly fun adventure.
Overall definatly a childrens film I would recommend. -
MCT:July 11, 2008
I don't care what anyone thinks this movie was well thought up.,,I found it to be of a silly ,carefree nature,,the kids will love it :)
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MCT:May 8, 2008
What a fantasy movie for kids. I remember wanting to build their ship so i could go up to space. But it never happened. But I still love this movie.
I haven't seen it in years, but I will very very soon. -
MCT:April 27, 2008
I really enjoyed this movie until we met the aliens. I wasn't impressed. I mean it was cool and all that they were kids. But, wasn't impressed. But baby fat river phoenix as a nerdy kid scientist was precious!
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MCT:February 12, 2008
Good kids movie. It was cool to see River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke as young kids. Still both brilliant actors. The story is simple and slightly stupid but it works in some weird way. I watched it quite a few times as a kid. Worth a couple of watches.
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MCT:February 5, 2008I remember this as a kid and I absolutely LOVED IT. They just don't make kids movies like this anymore....*sigh*
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MCT:December 16, 2007
I absolutely loved this as a kid and yet no-one had even heard of it before!
Excellent, full of fun and adventure, just like a typical Spielberg movie that he used to make!! -
MCT:November 9, 2007
ANTOHER ONE WHERE I WAS ROUGHLY THE AGE OF ETHAN HAWKE AND RIVER PHOENIX MUST B SEEN IN ITS TIME FROM THOSE FROM ITS TIME 2 B FULLY APPRECIATED DUE TO ITS SCI FI THEME
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MCT:November 4, 2007Nostalgia? Sure. But there's something wonderful about how Joe Dante sees kids for who they really are and speaks to them. It survives despite the technology and the Members Only jackets.
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MCT:October 23, 2007This is one of the strangest films I've ever seen. The first half is your average adventure, with benefit of one of the best young actors in movie history that being River Phoenix. But then it all goes insanely peculiar which I don't think I liked much. The characters played by Hawke and Phoenix could have worked in a shorter simpler adventure. Perhaps the alien twist appeals to younger people (who to be fair are the ones who should be watching this kind of film) but after 80 minutes or so I was ready for the end. There are some classic lines...
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MCT:October 7, 2007
Great movie! At the time I first saw this it was the type of movie I was looking for. Great movie for all ages. For all whoever had that dream of being able to go up in space and meet other life.
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MCT:September 15, 2007
This is a great movie fit for adults and kids. It is space exploration with a twist. Kids band together and make a space ship of their own, and you'll enjoy their trip through space and the comedy involved in meeting a new, alien culture. Ethan Hawke is the main hero - the one that most viewers will relate to - the average 80's kid hooked on television, daydreaming during school lessons and a huge crush on the girl next door. River Phoenix is his nerdy computer-whiz friend with an Einstein-like crazy father (played by James Cromwell) and Jason Presson is the mature, yet weird kid with a troubled home-life. The magic of this movie is in its innocence and the dreams that the kids are able to turn into reality. The part following in which the aliens are introduced did not contribute much. I think this is mainly because the movie ended right after that part. Though not as innovative as it should have, "Explorers" should still be a clean, fun and gentle ride.
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MCT:September 4, 2007
Love it and always will, look at young river phoenix so cute WOLFGANG IS THE MAN! SO fake but love it!! 80's classic...
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MCT:August 24, 2007
Hey....I think I saw this movie on cable TV only once about nine years ago. It's called "Explorers", which is about three kids building their own spaceship so they could meet aliens. When I first saw this movie, I noticed that a young Ethan Hawke and the late River Phoenix were in it. I saw "Explorers" only once; if I were to make a second viewing, then I must find it on DVD.
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MCT:July 7, 2007
all around the world rock and roll is here to stay! i love this movie was searching for it for like ever and came across it on a bootsale,great!
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MCT:July 2, 2007
great flick... at least when I first saw it as a kid... you've got a young river phoenix and ethan hawke. Joe Dante presents us with a kiddie adventure that deals with contact with an intergalactic lifeform... begs the question: why would aliens want to contact kids? hmmm... watch it and find out =)
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MCT:June 28, 2007
For me this film is up there with The Goonies, kids classic. I must have watched it twice a week as a kid. It''s crammed with nostalgia. I love the score too!
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MCT:June 24, 2007
I made my kid watch this and he wasn't nearly as entertained as I was when I was his age. Go figure.
Comments
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