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Actors: Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Jason Presson
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Explorers |
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Sci-fi fan Ben Crandall sketches the circuit board he saw in a dream. His friend Wolfgang Müller, a level-headed budding scientist, builds the board and attaches it to the computer in his basement. The device produces a solid force bubble which moves about following typed coordinates, apparently unimpeded by any obstacle. Even their initially sceptical new friend Darren Woods is impressed. When Wolfgang is accidentally enclosed in the airtight bubble and experiences the effect of travelling without inertia, the boys realise the bubble can be used to create an aircraft.
They build a ship using the car from a carnival ride and other odds and ends from the junkyard. After flying around and causing a panic at a drive-in movie, they lose control of the computer and are dragged up through the atmosphere. Wolfgang saves their lives by reversing diodes, bringing them back to earth. Ben is thrilled and wants to take her up again, but Wolfgang and Darren are more cautious.
All three boys start dreaming about the board, and are inspired to adapt the design so that they can dispense with the oxygen tanks and travel further. They realize someone "out there" is communicating with them, perhaps calling them. Though nervous at the prospect of meeting aliens (Ben even makes a will), they venture into space and are swallowed by a spaceship.
--Maureen Evans, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Explorers |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 20%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzle - 60%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
**Fantasy or Science Fiction?**
- science fiction story
Explore/1st contact
Yes
Explore plotlet:
- "primitive"/present day space travel
Generally friendly 1st contact with aliens?
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- student
Age:
- a teen
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/medium straight
Body type
- average (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- happy
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- average build (man)
How much in movie?
- 90%-100%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- none
Setting
Earth setting:
- 20th century (1970's to Present)
Spaceship setting:
- primative (present, near future) human spaceship
- alien spaceship
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Takes place in spaceship?
Yes
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Tone of movie
- upbeat
Comedy or somewhat funny movie?
Yes
Any profanity?
- Occasional swearing
Kinds of F/X
- exotic spaceships
- exotic aliens
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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