Flight of the Navigator

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Flight of the Navigator

PG

1986

1h 29m

Kids & Family

Sci-Fi

Adventure

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Popcornmeter

85%

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33 Reviews

76%

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50,000+ Ratings

This 1978 Disney adventure tells the story of 12-year-old David (Joey Cramer) who lives with his family in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. When he awakens from being accidentally knocked out in the forest near his home, he finds that eight years have passed. His family is overjoyed to have him back, but just as perplexed as he is by the fact that he hasn't aged. When a NASA scientist (Howard Hesseman) discovers a UFO nearby, David gets the chance to unravel the mystery and recover the life he lost.

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Critics Consensus

Bolstered by impressive special effects and a charming performance from its young star, Flight of the Navigator holds up as a solidly entertaining bit of family-friendly sci-fi.

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Victoria Mather

Daily Telegraph (UK)

01/22/2025

It is good, cheery stuff and stimulating in a healthy Boy's Own tradition.

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Lee Siegel

Associated Press

10/25/2018

Flight of the Navigator won't earn a place among Disney's classics. but it's a perfectly entertaining sci-fi movie that does a creditable job with the stale human-meets-alien theme.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Tribune

04/01/2014

3/4

When the film shifts into the action mode in its second half -- the flying saucer returns to aid in David`s rescue -- it becomes quite bright and lively.

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Philip French

Observer (UK)

01/22/2025

The junior Rip Van Winkle part of the film is amusing and genuinely touching. The rest is less so, though it interestingly combines two recurrent themes in recent American cinema.

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Kelechi Ehenulo

VultureHound

07/15/2020

4/5

When you add up all the evidence, Flight of the Navigator remains one of the most underrated pinnacles of the sci-fi genre, a euphoric mix of pop culture nostalgia and feel-good entertainment.

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William Wolf

Gannett News Service

11/06/2019

Flight of the Navigator, the Disney studio's new movie aimed at children, has the warmed-over feeling of other time-travel yarns. But the story is snappily told and is sure to keep youngsters enthralled.

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Zaccario P.

@zaccarioplanetoid Mar 27

This movie was underrated when it came out, but I’d hold it up to classics like E.T. and Goonies.

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ERIC G.

@ericgreene1977 Mar 13

This is my favorite movie of all times. I love this movie

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Victoria

@Victoria13 Jan 11

I was shocked that this was fun

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Kymber H.

@SandlotLover17 Jan 10

Simple and fun. It’s like if Disney made Back to the Future

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Oz S

@Ozsoffy Dec 14

The story is quite thin and feels stretched, as if it could have been told much more concisely than a full feature length film. Still, the opening portion creates a strong sense of mystery that pulls you in and keeps your interest during the early stages. The overall vibe of the film is very appealing, and it has a distinct atmosphere that makes it enjoyable despite its flaws. The visual effects are especially impressive and still hold up surprisingly well today. Taken as a whole, it is an enjoyable watch and easy to recommend.

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Nashville I.

@Nshvlleindie Jul 7

A lost treasure. Disney honestly didn't know what to do with this...it's more serious than a kid's film, a lot like ET! The story is incredibly clever and builds enough mystery that you're dying to find out the explanation. The one big knock though is that they take the plot building just a bit too far, and you have to wait for 50% of the movie to go by before you get to the exciting part.

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Randal Kleiser

Director

Joey Cramer

David Freeman

Veronica Cartwright

Helen Freeman

Cliff DeYoung

Bill Freeman

Sarah Jessica Parker

Carolyn McAdams

Matt Adler

Jeff (16 years)

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Synopsis

This 1978 Disney adventure tells the story of 12-year-old David (Joey Cramer) who lives with his family in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. When he awakens from being accidentally knocked out in the forest near his home, he finds that eight years have passed. His family is overjoyed to have him back, but just as perplexed as he is by the fact that he hasn't aged. When a NASA scientist (Howard Hesseman) discovers a UFO nearby, David gets the chance to unravel the mystery and recover the life he lost.

Director: Randal Kleiser
Producer: Robert Wald, Dmitri Villard
Screenwriter: Michael Burton, Matt McManus
Production Co: Viking Film, Producers Sales Organization, Walt Disney Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Kids & Family, Sci-Fi, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 30, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $17.2M
Runtime: 1h 29m
Sound Mix: Surround