‘Explorers’ at 40: How Joe Dante Captured Childhood Awe, Wonder

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In a different scenario where “The Goonies” was penned by Carl Sagan, it could have borne a closer resemblance to “Explorers,” the 1985 fantasy film that Joe Dante selected as his successor to “Gremlins.

Instead of the successful movie from 1984 produced by Warner Bros., “Explorers” was a costly failure mishandled by Paramount Pictures. Notably, director Joe Dante hasn’t worked on another film with them since then.

In their initial acting roles, Ethan Hawke, Jason Presson, and River Phoenix portray elementary school students who, for various reasons, don’t quite fit in at school and are not particularly popular. Their family lives, too, are marked by complexity, with parents that are either loving but peculiar, absent-minded, or neglectful.

As their collective, frequent dreams about an alien circuit board that looks like the Flux Capacitor from “Back to the Future” grow more vivid, they decide to construct it. This initial discovery of a potent, spherical force field serves as the spark for building a spacecraft.

As a cinephile, I found myself captivated from the very start; the opening scenes stirred within me a sense of awe reminiscent of a Spielberg production, with its raw, urban energy. The story unfolds as a nostalgic journey through suburban life, where the yearning for escapades and the tantalizing glimpse of opportunities beyond our familiar neighborhood is vividly portrayed.

As the poster tagline put it so perfectly, “An Adventure That Begins in Your Own Backyard!”

In the spirit of ’80s aesthetics, given that it was produced during that time, “Explorers” mirrors the style of shows like “Amazing Stories” or the ’80s adaptation of “The Twilight Zone,” particularly in their most captivating episodes. It tells its tale with a sentimental nostalgia and skillfully transforms the ordinary into something extraordinary.

“Explorers” may be silly, but it’s filled with wonder.

In a more casual and engaging manner: The three main actors deliver charming, authentic performances, and Phoenix stands out hilariously as a geekier version of Matthew Broderick in “War Games” (1983). I found these characters appealing because they weren’t annoying; instead, they were smart and resourceful.

In this setting, it’s evident that Dante is enjoying himself. His children’s school is christened Charles M. Jones Junior High, and Hawke expresses his fondness for the films “This Island Earth” (1955) and “Forbidden Planet” (1956). Furthermore, a scene unfolds at a drive-in theater featuring the movie “Star Killer.

In the film-within-the-film, it’s Robert Picardo who plays the lead role, and he shares screen time with Dick Miller, another character Dante appreciates.

Additionally, there’s an amusing character – a chatterbox mouse equipped with a voice box that transcribes its thoughts. Initially, we encounter this mouse being pestered by a cat, which elicits a cry for help: “Help!” Fortunately, the cat is driven off, and the relieved mouse expresses gratitude and requests food, saying, “Thank You… I need some cheese!

The visual effects were created by Industrial Light and Magic, and they’re absolutely breathtaking. Similarly, Jerry Goldsmith’s music is just as enchanting. The flying scenes and fantastical dream sequences are mesmerizing, with a final image of a night sky filled with aspiring dreamers gracefully gliding standing out particularly.

Initially, it seems as if the first act could be Dante’s magnum opus. However, when a mechanical spider emerges, things take an unexpected turn towards being overly humorous and somewhat out of place. Later, when the boys journey through space and meet the entities responsible for their spaceship blueprints, it feels as if a mediocre children’s movie has taken control of what was once a great film.

In this extended scene, televisions encircle the characters, serving as a representation of extraterrestrial communication and nourishment for our fantasies. Yet, the portrayal of the jocular alien characters falls flat, causing discomfort, much like an overextended musical performance and prolonged stand-up act.

A proposal exists that television might serve as evidence of humanity’s cruelty to potential extraterrestrial life, a concept strikingly reminiscent of a scene more effectively portrayed in the extended version of “The Abyss” released in 1989.

The movie largely gets back on track when it returns to reality. Its portrayal aligns with the film’s reputation for being initially unreleased and extensively edited. At one instance, Hawke queries, “Doesn’t it feel like a dream?

The narrative seems to coherently convey a scene that might represent an elderly man reminiscing about his childhood, based on the central character’s suggestive statement, “I haven’t had dreams like this since I was a kid.” In simpler terms, it’s possible that the entire story is a dream experienced by Miller’s character.

As a cinephile, I must admit that the flawed alien sequence, which was overly cheesy and grandiose for a film focusing on the charm of a tight-knit community, and the disjointed editing in the climactic scenes held this movie back from reaching its full potential.

Indeed, even at its finest moments, the movie remains captivating and stirs feelings reminiscent of childlike wonder.

As an avid movie enthusiast, I can’t help but reminisce about my childhood days when I was just as enamored with the universe as a kid peering through his telescope at the night sky or being thrilled by monster movies. This film seems tailor-made for children like that young astronomer and adults like me who never truly grew out of our fascination with the cosmos and the thrill that comes from watching a good horror flick.

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2025-07-17 21:03