Enviados del futuro

There are a lot of questions surrounding The Philadelphia Experiment. How is it that 1940s era sailors got 1980s haircuts before they even traveled forty years into the future? How could Manfred Mann perform "The Runner" without worrying that a version of himself from 1964 might suddenly appear and rip out his vocal cords for singing such a typically idiotic 1980s type song? Why is that time travelers always make it look so easy to find a love interest? How was it that after screwing up the Philadelphia Experiment, the military still has complete confidence in Dr. James Longstreet to allow him to pursue his misguided experiments for the next forty years?

My rating: 9.7 and one half stars. The Philadelphia Experiment gets an extra half star because the time travelers see punk rockers at a diner out in the Nevada desert. Also, every car chase featured a vehicle flipping over.

Based on an "actual event" that took place in 1943 and set during WW2 , a ¨Philadelphia experiment¨ about invisibility and involving an anti-radar goes wrong , causing an USS naval battleship -Navy Destroyer Escort- to disappear from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard , Virginia , by means of a warp time . A pair of sailors (stars Michael Pare and Bobby DiCicco) find themselves thrown into a temporary hole and sent 40 years into the future . Then they find in modern world of 1984 and a cataclysm that threatens to destroy it and change the course of history . Meanwhile , they meet a beautiful girl(costars Nancy Allen) who help them .

This is a far-fetching but acceptable story about two sailors traveling forward in time to just to discover weird incidents and save the world . Reportedly (?) based on a true events that are developed with intrigue , suspense , thrills and noisy action . Familiar but satisfying and agreeable Sci-Fi yarn . Just amusement enough to cover production gaps and some flaws . Fine special effects for that time and liking performances by the leads manage to keep this one afloat . Good support cast as Louise Latham and Stephen Tobolowsky , among others . Colorful cinematography by Dick Bush and atmospheric musical score by Wannberg. The motion picture was professionally directed by Stewart Raffill . He's an expert on adventure genre as ¨Across the Great Divide¨ , ¨Sea Gypsies¨ and science fiction as ¨Ice pirates¨ , ¨Mc and Me¨ and of course this one . It's followed by an inferior sequel titled ¨Philadelphia experiment II ¨ with Brad Johnson . Rating : Acceptable and passable fare although better viewed in big screen .

This movie seems at first like it's going to be the stuff of Mystery Science Theater 3000. It's basically something bad but amusing that you can make fun of. The supporting characters and extras, especially at the beginning, are just atrocious actors. But instead, the movie transforms into something pretty awesome! The end of the world feeling throughout is great, with a vast wormhole sucking up everything around it.

But then other times it's like Dukes of Hazard, with sliding off hoods of cars and vehicles exploding after getting no more than a fender bender. The movie is out of control, careening between amazingly excellent and complete crap. It's like some wise Hollywood producer said, "Needs more action" so they stuck in the most tired, cliched action sequences you can think of: car chases and gun fights. Neither belong in this film.

There's also some implausibilities. For example, David, a guy from the Navy in 1943, inexplicably runs from the Navy of today. Why would he run from the men he should trust the most? It makes no sense. Furthermore, the Navy of today is often shooting at him with real guns! Why would they be trying to kill a man who has done nothing wrong?

Anyway, it's an enjoyable film despite the inconsistencies.

In 1943, the United States tests an anti-radar system to make the U. S. Navy ships invisible to the enemy. Dr. James Longstreet uses his experiment in the destroyer escort USS Eldridge that disappears from Philadelphia. The sailors David Herdeg (Michael Paré) and his best friend Jim Parker (Bobby Di Cicco) are projected to 1984, where they meet Allison Hayes (Nancy Allen). They unsuccessfully try to contact their base and out of the blue Jimmy disappears in a hospital. Allison helps David to visit Jimmy's wife Pamela, but Jimmy refuses to see him. Now David's only hope is meeting Dr. James Longstreet to learn what to do. Will he be well succeeded?

"The Philadelphia Experiment" is an enjoyable film with a story with paradoxes, like most of the stories about time travel. The conclusion is corny and romantic, but works well. The military team in the Jeep shooting David and Allison in their car during the persecution through the highway is ridiculous. But anyway this film is still a great entertainment after so many years. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Projeto Filadélfia" ("Philadelphia Project")

Note: On 08 July 2022, I saw this film again.

I've seen every time travel movie ever made, and I must say that the Philadelphia Experiment ranks pretty high on my list of favorites. Despite the cheesy love story (almost as bad as Titanic or Pearl Harbor) the effects are pretty good and the story is cool.

The actors were fair (Nancy Allen was great, though) and the screenplay is pretty good. It's a really interesting story in itself, though. If you have any interest at all in this movie, I would strongly recommend looking for books about the actual Philadelphia Experiment. (sometimes found in collections of paranormal phenomenon) The supposed true story involves tests to camoflauge a navy ship - rendering it either invisible to radar or TRULY invisible (stories vary as to the exact intent of the experiment) apparently through the use of magnetic fields. The rumor is that the ship disappeared from the Philadelphia naval yard and TELEPORTED to a Virginia naval yard. The crew had a variety of side-effects, ranging from temporary invisibility and/or intangibility to getting phased into solid objects and getting stuck there. (a couple of people who were phased into solid objects can be seen in the movie - pretty cool!) The "true" story makes a great read and even if only a fraction of it is true, it's a pretty remarkable idea that any of it happened in reality.

The Philadelphia Experiment is an entertaining movie, but more for sci fi fans and their girlfriends rather than the average moviegoer. Stay away from the Philadelphia Experiment II, though... it's just awful.