SpaceCamp

Never had events placed a movie in an untenable situation. According to the Trivia part of IMDb the original premiere was for early in 1986. With the tragedy of the Challenger blowing up the decision to delay the film for a few months wasn't a good idea in hindsight. The premise was about as plausible as having a bunch of Victoria Secret's models fighting over me.

You have a group of kids and a an adult (at least chronically) are placed in a situation where an error with a mathematical probability of being dealt ten consecutive "Royal Flushes" in a straight up poker game. The crew is now forced to apply their knowledge to survive. Oh, did I mention that there isn't enough fuel and oxygen to survive for long? After some improvisation and the only true pilot being out of commission the crew buy some time. When Max the child prodigy of the group damages a satilette he is chided: "Just wait until your parents get the bill." Well, they can deduct from the nine figure checque they'll get from the government. Fortunately there is a happy ending.

This movie was over all good but with the association with the challenger tragedy and being released at the same time as "Karate Kid", and "Top Gun" didn't help the box office.

At a space camp for teenagers looking to play as astronauts for a summer, a group comes together. The team includes a boy who sees it all as silly, a girl who wants to make it to space for real, a ditsy blonde who remembers everything and a kid (Max) who believes he is Luke Skywalker. They fall out and fight and love as all teenagers do until the day when they are allowed to sit in a shuttle during an engine test. A lonely robot wants to help Max get into space and launches the kids for real.

This is very much a film of two halves. The first half is the usual teenage issue stuff mixed with some fantasy. The characters fight, moan, make out, hate authority etc. This is all quite dull but it livens up in the second half. When they get launched into space we actually get some real dram – even if it is a bit silly and very unrealistic. The story is OK and has some nice lines – `I'm waiting for ET's – can you imagine waiting for signs of intelligence?' one teen says `I know the feeling' comes the reply! However the worst bits revolve about robot Jinx – the jar-jar Binks of his time (he even sounds a bit like him!). Jinx is just for the kids and his scenes with Max are horribly cute and sugary.

The rest of the cast are so-so. Skerrit and Chapsaw are good as the adults and they don't give the impression that this is below them. The teens however could easily have doen without names and just be called the stereotype they represent. A very young Joaquin Phoenix (then called Leaf) is the cute kid Max and made me want to slap him every time he came on screen. Thompson is the eager beaver who learns to relax. Tate Donovan is poor as the `too cool for school' rich kid in the group. Kelly Preston is actually good as the ditzy one who is really smart and Scott covers all bases by being `the black one' but he isn't given anything to do other than that.

Overall both halves of the film have good things and bad things – but overall it is quite enjoyable and kids will love it without noticing the poor back projection and the rubbish Jinx.

Aside from 80s fans (of corny movies), I would say this movie is most suitable for young kids who are probably twelve years-old and younger and interested in space exploration or have just a general interest in science. Next to The Explorers, another 80s sci-fi adventure, this is a fun movie about young kids getting to participate in space exploration.

Space Camp is about a bunch of smart kids and teenagers recruited into a camp in which they must master training to be young astronauts. Unfortunately, a small group find out that their training is put to the test a little early, as their inside a shuttle that accidentally launches. They make it all the way to space, capable of seeing the moon and everything, but run out of oxygen. So, this being a family movie, each must overcome their fears and for some, their arrogance, and work together as a team and know that eventually, they'll beat their dilemma. Afterall, it was what they were trained to do.

This movie has a bunch of familiar 80s actors, young and old. Tate Donovan is Kevin Donaldson, a kid who doesn't really care about the importance of Space Camp, he's more interested in girls and he wishes everyone would stop putting so much responsbility on him. Lea Thompson is Kathryn Fairly, the girl he's got his eye on. Kelly Preston is Tish, Scott Coffey is Gardner, Tom Skerrit is Commander Zach Burkstroom, Kate Capshaw is Andie Burkstroom (the leader of the mission), and Joaquin Phoenix is the shrilly voiced irritating youngster wimp of the group who exemplifies the morals of building self-confidence. It may be too corny for teenagers, but young kids might still find this movie enjoyable and hopefully, not too recognizeably dated.

I just rented it again. I just ignore the plot porcupines and enjoy the adolescent romp. Perfect family viewing; some action and suspense, no violence, and just one kiss. For those of us that will be forever planet bound, it is sometimes nice to dream.

Impossible? Of course it is, but 'Space Camp' is a good 'ol piece of wide-eyed, optimistic 80s feel-goodery. God, I miss it. But revisiting it turned out to be more than a mere nostalgia trip. 'Space Camp' is a well made, well acted, adventure film that deftly mixes comedy, drama and thrills.

Featuring a cast of talented and likable actors that you will recognize from better known films, top notch special effects and a rousing score by the great John Williams, 'Space Camp' is the type of film that today's kids need to see. Its message? Work hard, dream big and reach for the stars. It's a lesson they're not getting from our popular culture today, and it's one they desperately need to hear.