Explorers - Home Video Cut (1985) ***
"And we didn't even get to tell you the secrets of the universe." Joe Dante 's Explorers (1985) is a goofy but charming sci-fi adventure featuring the (cinematic) film debuts of Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix . It's uneven, the characters are underdeveloped, and much of the comedy falls flat (no shade on Robert Picardo ), but it's hard to deny the earnestness and the fun production design and make-up effects (by Rob Bottin ). Joe Dante Feature Films Ranked