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The Legend of Zorro
Film
FilmPG1985
Explorers
Directed by Joe Dante
Middle schooler Ben spends his free time watching sci-fi films, playing video games and reading comic books. Surprisingly, his affinity for all things fantastical yields a real result – when he has a vivid dream about technology, his prodigy best friend Wolfgang manages to create a working spacecraft. Joined by their buddy Darren, the boys take off into outer space and encounter some very odd extraterrestrial life. From TMDB
66 reactions from 2 sources (Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
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Sentiment labels for these sources are still being hand-checked; no score yet.
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluesky * | 13 | 3 | 48 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
What people are saying
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At a glance
Explorers is a 1985 science fiction adventure family film, directed by Joe Dante, starring Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix and Jason Presson.
- 57 people have posted about this film on Bluesky, Mastodon
- posts span Jul 28, 2023 to Nov 5, 2026
Assembled from TMDB, Wikidata and Steam fields and our own counts, nothing written by a model. Method
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
66 public posts have mentioned Explorers so far, but it needs 10 opinionated reactions from checked sources before it gets a score. Seen it? Post your take.
The Experts
61%
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The People
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audience score
Reactions
60 of 66 · most liked firstJoe Dante's Explorers was released 41 years ago today. "A boy obsessed with '50s sci-fi movies about aliens has a recurring dream about a blueprint of some kind, which he draws for his inventor friend. With the help of a third kid, they build themselves a spaceship." 2/3 of a lovely, fun movie 👌
positive · AI labelView post →My movie Explorers was released on July 12th, 1985!! Any fans still around from that original theatrical run? We've got a fresh still up on my Renfield Collection site. I'm standing by for custom autographs right now. www.renfieldcollection.com/product-page...
neutral · AI labelView post →My movie Explorers, out in a fresh 4K, gets a modern reappraisal! www.indiewire.com/features/com...
neutral · AI labelView post →You don’t always know it in the moment, but a movie can take on a life far beyond its original release. 40 years later, Explorers is still being watched, talked about, and discovered by audiences around the world. www.indiewire.com/features/com...
neutral · AI labelView post →#NowWatching Explorers (1985) Dir: @thejoedante.bsky.social A boy obsessed with '50s sci-fi movies about aliens has a recurring dream about a blueprint of some kind, which he draws for his inventor friend. With the help of a third kid, they follow it and build themselves a spaceship. Now what?
neutral · AI labelView post →Explorers ⁞1985 www.imdb.com/title/tt0089114 #NowWatching #filmsky #scifi #sci-fi ·a boy obsessed with '50s sci-fi movies about aliens has a recurring dream about a strange blueprint, which he draws for his inventor friend. with the help of a third kid, they build themselves a spaceship. now what?·
neutral · AI labelView post →Johnny Cab was voiced by Robert Picardo, and he was also the model for Johnny’s face. Rob Bottin had a mould of Picardo’s face from 1985 fantasy film Explorers, so was able to recycle that. 34/47
neutral · AI labelView post →I saw a screening of Matinee (1993) last night (with a Joe Dante Q&A) As a kid I watched Gremlins 2, Explorers and The Burbs A LOT but not Matinee? It was great Like the first 1/2 wasn’t haha, but the second 1/2 all takes place in a movie theater and Joe Dante is the best at shooting theater stuff
neutral · AI labelView post →AnimEigo has announced it will release Antique Bakery, Dog of Flanders: The Movie, ReLIFE, Ruin Explorers: Fam & Ihrie, and Welcome to Ibaru's Office on home video next year!
neutral · AI labelView post →In the Joe Dante movie “Explorers”, this newspapers has references to his other films. The Kingston Falls “riot” is a reference to “Gremlins”, and the fire at the Colony is from “The Howling”. The missing teacher at Homewood school is Helen Foley from “Twilight Zone: The Movie”.
neutral · AI labelView post →1985 was the year of DIY! Doc Brown made a Delorean into a Time Machine, and the kids from “Explorers” made a space ship out of junk! When you watch either movie, you believe it, because they look like something made in the garage. Not slick, not polished. The stuff dreams are made of!
neutral · AI labelView post →While the movie is kind of a mess that doesn't stick the landing, the first half of Explorers is absolutely peak 80s kids' movie stuff.
neutral · AI labelView post →Johnny Cab was voiced by Robert Picardo, and he was also the model for Johnny’s face. Rob Bottin had a mould of Picardo’s face from 1985 fantasy film Explorers, so was able to recycle that. 34/47
neutral · AI labelView post →Explorers. That movie was almost a third parent to me growing up. Super 8 is an honorable mention, for making me feel like I was a kid watching Explorers all over again .
positive · AI labelView post →34. Doraemon: Nobita in The New Haunts of Evil - Peko and The Five Explorers (2014) 8/10 A solid remake of an original film. I really liked the focus on Gian in this as he’s the GOAT in the movies. The animation is really cute in this one as well.
neutral · AI labelView post →@robertpicardo.bsky.social Watching Explorers at least 30 years since the last time I saw it and never realized you were in it. Thank you for being not only the best TV doctor, but the friendliest movie alien. 💖
positive · AI labelView post →#NowWatching Explorers (1985) I love this movie, and I think it’s aged better than Goonies for me. Watching the Theatrical Cut now, which I don’t think I’ve ever seen; this was a vhs classic for me. #Filmsky
positive · AI labelView post →Just got back from 4 days up North at my parents, and ran down to BMV, and was lucky enough to find their recently released 4K of THE EXPLORERS (1985), directed by the great Joe Dante, and starring a young Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, and Jason Presson. This was a KEY film from my childhood. : |
positive · AI labelView post →Retro sci-fi design inspired by Explorers Davana County Est 1985. A must-have for fans of the classic film. #adventure #90s #space #county #retro #80s
neutral · AI labelView post →The Thunder Road from the 1985 film Explorers? The drone ship from Flight of the Navigator? The titular machine from the 1960 film The Time Machine? No GIFs? Seriously???
neutral · AI labelView post →What if First Contact was this disappointing? Aliens just throwing memes back at us like an AI. No attempt to communicate, just a weird and irritating game. Anyway, any Alien that come to Sol is up to something. I don't care how benevolent they might seem, they shouldn't meddle in our mess. It's like hanging around a playground... https://gizmodo.com/we-went-back-and-explored-the-1985-joe-dante-film-explorers-2000780183 #Movies #FirstContact #Explorers #SETI
neutral · AI labelView post →Scifi producers in the 80s were so horny they made this: #explorers #film #80s #HypersexualAliens #awesome
neutral · AI labelView post →Hate to say this but Goonie is not that great a movie anyway. Explorers shits all over it.
positive · AI labelView post →#OctoberMovieChallenge Day 12 - Explorer in a Movie Mountains of the Moon (1990) Bob Rafelson --Explorers Burton and Speke search for source of the Nile River.
neutral · AI labelView post →Retro sci-fi design inspired by Explorers Davana County Est 1985. A must-have for fans of the classic film. #90s #county #retro #adventure #80s #space
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm watching "Explorers" (1985), film debut of Ethan Hawke, for the first time ever It's pretty weird Also the wiki article on the movie has pointed me at 2 time travel movies I never heard of, those'll be going on my list
neutral · AI labelView post →Just re-watched Explorers recently. Still holds up.
positive · AI labelView post →Our “Summer of Discovery” programme is underway, with range of free family activities throughout the holidays, including creative crafts, our Little Explorers Trail and family & heritage film screenings – all drop-in, all free! Full details: thecommonroom.org.uk/summer-of-di...
neutral · AI labelView post →My #review of Explorers (1985). www.partyapocalypse.com/movie-blog/e... #filmsky #movies
neutral · AI labelView post →Concept art by Mike Ploog for the alien in @thejoedante.bsky.social film EXPLORERS, released OTD in 1985.
neutral · AI labelView post →Explorers. Loved that movie as a kid. Last year I scratch built Thunder Road at Marvel Crisis Protocol scale.
neutral · AI labelView post →So I was working getting the first few pages of my Explorers fancomic out there and take a wild guess as to what I found on PlutoTV pluto.tv/us/movies/5c... So yeah, enjoy the movie and whatever ideas pop into your head for Hawkins as a result of watching it, see you with my at around Turkey day!
neutral · AI labelView post →Since my last Disneyland stuff was so well received, I figured y’all might enjoy the pins on my theme park bag: Society of Explorers and Adventurers, the Bay Lake Society (To the Bay! *clink!*), a Tomorrowland film pin (I see you, @4gottenfuturist.bsky.social!) and the Adventurers Club (Kungaloosh!)
neutral · AI labelView post →Explorers (1985) should've been a shorter movie. The military would have intercepted those kids and blasted them right out of the sky.
negative · AI labelView post →Now rewatching Joe Dante’s 1985 science fiction movie “Explorers”. Featuring Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Jason Presson and Amanda Peterson. Watching the theatrical version on the new @vinsyn.bsky.social 4K box set.
neutral · AI labelView post →We watched Explorers last night, a movie I probably watched 100+ times on cable as a kid. It's one of those movies that wouldn't be made today. Not because the content is bad in any way. It just feels like we've lost the kind of magic that films like it had for kids/pre-teens as as whole.
positive · AI labelView post →Never mind, I remembered the Bajoran Lightship episode of DS9 and I'm going to use that as one. So far I've got: FTL (2017 short film), FTL by Kevin D Randle, Ad Astra, Lightyear, and Explorers (DS9) That'll do.
neutral · AI labelView post →I hope you enjoyed your time in Japan. It still feels like a dream to have met someone I admire so deeply and to have been able to hand you the *The Movie Orgy* zine and the *Explorers* papercraft model I created for you. I look forward to your next visit to Japan! Thank you so much!
neutral · AI labelView post →Explorers is a fun family adventure movie. Have you seen Kwaidan? It's kinda trippy ghost stories. Viy is also in that vein.
positive · AI labelView post →Explorers (1985): The sound effects from the movie at the drive-in were taken directly from the original 1982 Atari 2600 video game Yars' Revenge (1981). #TheGoreYouKnow #MutantFam @themutantfam.bsky.social
neutral · AI labelView post →Is the Deep Space Nine episode “Explorers” the only time we ever saw the TNG-style uniforms with the Voyager-style commbadges aside from the Generations movie?
neutral · AI labelView post →I've had this for a month or so, but just getting around to watching the VINEGAR SYNDROME 4K of Joe Dante's THE EXPLORERS (1985). This was a film that my parents dubbed onto VHS at some point, and I watched in repeat for YEARS. This reminds me that I need to find FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR. : |
positive · AI labelView post →Explorers was the spaceship out of junk movie. With Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix.
neutral · AI labelView post →There was rumors of a remake of Explorers a few years ago and I had a palpable and visceral “oh fuck no” reaction. I was ready to go gritty 1970s movie antihero on everyone responsible.
negative · AI labelView post →An obscure movie that I’ve seen more than 6 times? For real? Explorers, Critters, The Golden Child, House, House 2, House Party, House Party 2… we’re gonna be here a while
neutral · AI labelView post →I keep seeing cops in normal cars other than Explorers and Chargers and it's like seeing movie background extras leaving set.
neutral · AI labelView post →Share an 80s movie you will always love! 'Explorers'
neutral · AI labelView post →First 5 I can think of are: - Blade Runner (director's cut without narration) - Big Trouble in Little China (just a fun movie start to finish) - The Samurai trilogy (Toshiro Mifune as Miyamoto Musashi) - The Explorers - April and The Extraordinary World
neutral · AI labelView post →Watched Joe Dante’s Explorers tonight, and while it is by no means a perfect movie it is a movie that had me thinking many thoughts. boxd.it/gYnEC9
neutral · AI labelView post →1985: Ethan Hawke (with Jason Presson behind him) starred in the Joe Dante movie Explorers. 2026: Ethan Hawke is in his second season of FX's The Lowdown.
neutral · AI labelView post →Did they see the Giritina movie? If yes, then I'll have to begrudgingly agree. But if they haven't played Explorers of Sky, their opinion mean nothing!
neutral · AI labelView post →Tuesday night, our latest short film “Plant Life” screened at The Explorers Club for a special New York City Climate Week event! After the screening, the film’s directors, Josh Izenberg and Brett Marty, joined Salk Institute scientists Wolfgang Busch and Lena Mueller for a Q&A.
neutral · AI labelView post →The (movie) Explorers 1080p (iTunes)(DE) €3.99 (Adventure) (iMDB) 6.9 Cast: Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Bobby Fite, Bradley Gregg, Danny Nucci, Amanda Peterson
neutral · AI labelView post →Explorers is on MGM. This is the greatest premise for a movie ever. They goto space in a tilt-a-whirl.
positive · AI labelView post →Astonishing how common Peeping Toms were in film. I've been showing my kids 80s films and so far they're in Back to the Future, The Explorers, and Monster Squad. In the latter two it's considered normal! I have to tell my kids that those guys are being creeps--and they're the protagonists!
negative · AI labelView post →Film academic iso podcast needing a co-host or guest spot. I'm tired of listening to film podcasts and not contributing. I hosted one of my own a while back (Horror Explorers) but it was a logistical shitshow and it was mostly me alone. And I'm better with someone to bounce off.
neutral · AI labelView post →It was goofy fun, but the MCU movie, which I was NOT on board with (didn't like the cast or that the trailer made it look like a typical action movie [cuz they're EXPLORERS]) won me over w/what was def'ly the MCU best script in, like, a decade. It's old-school sci-fi, it confronts the miscasting and
neutral · AI labelView post →While I love the film, I’d say the most successful part of Explorers was you rescuing ‘Rosebud’ during production!
positive · AI labelView post →Flashback Favorites Film Series Presents ~ EXPLORERS Tuesday And Wednesday August 11th And 12th At 4:30 And 7:30 This space adventure stars Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix as misfit best friends whose dreams of space travel become a reality
neutral · AI labelView post →Flashback Favorites Film Series Presents ~ EXPLORERS Tuesday And Wednesday August 11th And 12th At 4:30 And 7:30
neutral · AI labelView post →
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