Flight Of The Navigator (1986) ***1/2
Right off the bat during its credit sequence, Flight Of The Navigator (1986) hits you with slow motion footage of dogs catching frisbees backed by the most 80s music imaginable. Totally rad. I know that I watched FOTN more than a few times when I was young, but I didn't really remember it well. For instance, I didn't recall that Paul Reubens did the voice of the film's spaceship robotic commander—which is crazy because Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) (blogpost here) is my favorite film.
I believe this was the first time I'd seen the film since the 80s. As I watched it, it started to come back to me. It holds up really well—providing a nice blend of nostalgia and timelessness—it both invokes childhood and stands as a film that parents can proudly show their kids. E.T. (1982) is clearly an influence and there is a bit of a Spielbergian feel to FOTN, but it's definitely its own film.
There are a lot of factors that contribute to Flight Of The Navigator's charm and longevity—first and foremost the film's lovable young star Joey Cramer, who, along with the other actors that make up his film family, gives a true sense of relatability, that of an everyday kid in an extraordinary situation. Add to that the whacky voice work of Reubens, Randal Kleiser's competent direction, Alan Silvestri's dated but excellent and mysterious Synclavier score, the combination of early CGI (which I think still looks great) with cool practical f/x, the adventure, and the sincerity of the story. It all forms a fun family sci-fi flick that offers only one option to its audience—Compliance!
I believe this was the first time I'd seen the film since the 80s. As I watched it, it started to come back to me. It holds up really well—providing a nice blend of nostalgia and timelessness—it both invokes childhood and stands as a film that parents can proudly show their kids. E.T. (1982) is clearly an influence and there is a bit of a Spielbergian feel to FOTN, but it's definitely its own film.
There are a lot of factors that contribute to Flight Of The Navigator's charm and longevity—first and foremost the film's lovable young star Joey Cramer, who, along with the other actors that make up his film family, gives a true sense of relatability, that of an everyday kid in an extraordinary situation. Add to that the whacky voice work of Reubens, Randal Kleiser's competent direction, Alan Silvestri's dated but excellent and mysterious Synclavier score, the combination of early CGI (which I think still looks great) with cool practical f/x, the adventure, and the sincerity of the story. It all forms a fun family sci-fi flick that offers only one option to its audience—Compliance!
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