Flight Of The Navigator Blu-Ray Review

Director: Randal Kleiser

Starring: Joey Cramer, Paul Reubens (voice), Veronica Cartwright

Running Time: 90 minutes

Certificate: U

Extras: Commentary with director

Back in the 1980s, most kids’ movies were more like horror movies. From the Wheelers in RETURN TO OZ that caused most kids to shit themselves to the horrendous, nightmare inducing, ultimate tale of abandonment that was FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR.

FOTN is the story of a 12-year-old boy named David who takes a bad tumble on a night out and wakes what seems like a few moments later and walks home. He is shocked to find that his family no longer lives there (but Dr Logan from DAY OF THE DEAD does!); somehow he’s traveled into the future, 1986. Dun-dun-dar!

As a kids’ film, FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR is by no means a Disney classic, however it does have a delicate adventure sensibility and what kid didn’t want his own space ship that could travel anywhere at the speed of light?

Sadly every super spaceship has its bad sides. The onboard robot, Max, (voiced by Pee Wee Herman himself Paul Reubens) is possibly the most annoying robot since Paulie’s sex-bot from ROCKY IV. In fact he is so annoying at times that you begin to be grateful that his career was almost derailed when he was caught wanking in a porn cinema.

FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR has some impressive effects for its time and was the world’s first feature film to use environmental mapping, creating the illusion of a chrome object occupying a live-action frame. So it is historically important in many ways, well, one. The script is tight, with some funny lines that in 1986 must have been mildly amusing. The puppetry on show for Max is very good and the soundtrack by Alan Silvestri is very original (which for him is impressive).

The Blu Ray transfer is terrible. It at times feels like you are watching a pretty ropey DVD. If you have FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR on DVD already, don’t worry about upgrading. Not a brilliant film, but fun for kids who are from 1978 (especially).

FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR is released on Blu-ray 19th November