Plot: What’s it about?
I’ve always had a certain fondness for Joe Dante films. Maybe it’s because “Innerspace” was the first “black bar” movie I saw back in the days of VHS. Or maybe it’s because I, like so many my age, grew up on the likes of “Gremlins” and this film, “Explorers”. Funny thing is, I remember vividly loving this movie as a kid up until a certain point, and then losing interest. Nineteen years later, I find myself in a similar situation. There’s so much to admire here that I shudder to think of where this review is going to end up, so I’ll start with the positive and work my way south. This is the story of three friends (Ben, Wolfgang and Darren) who find a way to build their own spaceship in their backyard. Sure, the computer technology is severely outdated and the scientific basis of the film is absurd, but then, that’s not what’s really important here, is it? What matters most in a sci-fi picture of this kind is the atmosphere of wonder and discovery. And this film has that atmosphere in spades. At least it does at first. The interaction among the three lead actors is very disarming, and the direction, for the most part, is superb. The story takes its time evolving and the characters become people we care about. That being the case, I have but one question. Just exactly when did Joe Dante lose control of this movie?
Watching “Explorers” after so many years was nostalgic to say the least. And as the film progressed, I found myself willingly believing in the story and the characters. Each of them has their own side story and traits that make them fully fleshed-out individuals (quite the rarity in the sci-fi realm). I guess that’s why I found the climax of the film to be such a letdown. Once the kids actually begin their “adventure”, the movie really loses focus and cohesion. Endless, meandering scenes follow with the children aimlessly wandering an alien ship and enduring a one-note, one-joke slapstick routine by one of the ship’s inhabitants. I’m not quite sure what (if anything) Dante was trying to say with this sequence, but suffice it to say that the message gets completely lost in all the goofiness and comedic set pieces. I kept hoping for the film to pull itself out of the climactic hole it had dug for itself, but nothing seemed to make much sense after said scenes, and the magic and wonder of the first two thirds of the film were thoroughly dragged through the mud. It’s really a shame to come away with a negative opinion of a film with so much going for it, and I was really hoping that wouldn’t be the case, especially given that this is, after all, a Joe Dante movie.
As I’ve said, the actors are top-notch in this film, especially given their respective ages, and it was a real treat to see Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix in early roles. It is obvious watching the film now that these were very gifted young actors, and their talent is really allowed to shine through. It takes a lot of earnestness to sell a story this unbelievable, and the leads somehow manage to pull it off. I just wish that the cohesion and narrative thrust that was so well executed in the opening scenes and subsequent events on Earth had held on through the end. Had they done so, this would have ranked as one of those movies that, while not great, hold a special place in my heart. As it stands, I see “Explorers” as a missed opportunity – a film that had a great potential to be something more than itself and instead imploded under its own eclectic creativity. Still, if you’re looking for a walk down memory lane and you don’t mind a story that loses its way toward the end, you may find a lot of value in this film. I know I did. I’ll still display it proudly on my shelf as a time capsule of the days when movies existed to take us places we’d never been, not to illicit wide-eyed consumption of ever-more CGI effects and stories that exist to service the action scenes. This movie, for all its faults, has a lot of heart. Just don’t look for a lot of substance in the end and you won’t leave disappointed.
Video: How does it look?
“Explorers” is presented on DVD in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The transfer is anamorphic and is very good for the most part. Much like the film itself, this is a transfer with a lot going for it, but it simply lacks that “little bit more” to push it into excellence territory. While black levels are good and edge enhancement, while present, is kept to a minimum, there seem to be some compression issues here and there. Take, for example, the opening scene in which Ben is dreaming about the computer board. Blocks of color can be seen all over the place, and it can be distracting at times. The daytime shots fare the best, demonstrating a clarity that has never existed in this film before. On the whole, though, it’s a mixed bag, with occasional red color bleeding and poor shadow detail in quite a few shots. Still, this is an admirable effort by Paramount considering the source material (which I can’t imagine was in great shape). On the plus side, I noticed very few nicks, cuts, or scratches on the print to distract. This should please fans of the film – it’s just not going to turn many heads doing it.
Audio: How does it sound?
The Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track included is far better than I expected. Though limited by the original source of the time, this is a surprisingly active mix, which makes full use of the discrete channels of the format. It can come across as gimmicky occasionally, but for the most part this is a very exciting, satisfying sound mix. Surround use is frequent and, though subtle, is extremely effective. I found myself actually turning my head a few times (always a good sign). I have to hand it to Paramount for upping the ante on the soundtrack. This is a film that greatly benefits from the extra attention to the audio, and this track will definitely not disappoint. It was much more than I was expecting at least. Dialogue is always intelligible and the sub gets a bit of use, though this isn’t the movie to be watching if you want to bring the house down.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Two deleted scenes are included on this release and, while that’s not much, the two scenes in question are at least presented in anamorphic widescreen and in 5.1 Surround (what a concept!). The scenes are very good and may have been included in the theatrical version of the film (as presented here, “Explorers” is Dante’s “home video version”, which has added and deleted some footage from its original theatrical incarnation). I wouldn’t be surprised if these scenes were originally in the film as both are very well done and expand on the already excellent first hour. Nothing else can be found on the disc, not even a trailer. Disappointing for a film with a moderate cult following, but a solid presentation will have to suffice for now.
