 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Flight of the Navigator
- Review Date: July 10, 2005
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 1986
Common Sense Media says
An exciting time travel adventure.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this film contains a few expletives and some scary situations, but it's nothing that even younger children won't be able to handle.
What's the story?
THE FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR begins as David Freeman (Joey Cramer) comes home one night to discover that his family has aged eight years and think he's dead. For David, only a few minutes have gone by. The mystery slowly unravels, leading to David's being taken away by NASA and escaping in a space ship. Eight years have changed things a lot -– David has never seen a music video, and can't believe that Starsky and Hutch isn't on anymore. When David is aboard the ship, he makes friends with its mechanical occupant, Max, who is voiced by Paul Reubens (credited here as Paul Mall), clearly working in his Pee-Wee Herman mode.
Is it any good?
This is an above-average offering from Disney. The sequences on the ship are both funny and touching, as Max and David each try to get home. The special effects are, for the most part, surprisingly fresh and believable, and the opening sequence of dogs playing Frisbee is spectacular.
It's all very well done, with clever shots that make everyday objects look like they just might be from a spacecraft, and very affecting scenes between David and his new, older family. Joey Cramer does a good job in his role. This is a charming movie, with enough drama and humor to please almost any viewer.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how they would feel if everyone in their family were suddenly older while they stayed the same age. Also, for sci-fi fans, it could be interesting to look at the use of special effects then and now.
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| Topics: | adventures, space and aliens |
| Studio: | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Director: | Randal Kleiser |
| Cast: | Joey Cramer, Paul Reubens, Sarah Jessica Parker |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | July 11, 1986 |
| DVD release date: | June 1, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | a smattering of swear words, some scary situations |
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