Flight of the Navigator (DVD, 2004)

A true classic in the Disney tradition, with ample doses of adventure, mystery, and humor. It was interesting to see parts of Fort Lauderdale that I'm familiar with, like I-95 and the Intracoastal Waterway (from a spaceship nevertheless! I wish I did have a spaceship sometimes when I'm on I-95!) This story will be enjoyed by Sci-Fi fans, Disney fans, and most general audiences. One word of caution, though. There is another movie called "The Navigator," in which people travel through a time warp or something from a plague-infested past. That movie is very different. Disney's "Flight of the Navigator" is about a boy (David) who is abducted by a pilotless talking spaceship that fills his mind with vast star maps. He then becomes its navigator. No aliens actually appear in the movie... except the ship, of course. After disappearing for several years, David returns to Earth in control of the ship, as its full-fledged navigator, but his younger brother is now an older teen while David is still the age he was when he was abducted, about twelve, I think. His family is just glad to have him back, but it is difficult for David, being the little brother now. His family has also moved. He just doesn't feel at home anymore. But the government guys have his ship. Look for a young Sarah Jessica Parker, working as a base assistant, to give David and his ship a little help. I won't spoil the ending for you.

If you like this movie you will probably also enjoy "UFO Kidnapped." It has similarities to "Flight of the Navigator," as well as to Star Trek, Farscape, Earth: Final Conflict, and several other shows. As far as I know, only the pilot show was ever produced, and it was never picked up. But you can find the pilot in five 10-minute parts on Youtube. In "UFO Kidnapped," two boys, their dog, and a cat burglar are abducted by the Shandrilla, who fly into suns and through black holes to get across the universe. While the Shandrilla are off ship selling the older boy and the cat burglar to some cyclops creatures on a distant planet, the younger boy succeeds in controlling their ship with his mind and a little mind boost from an Ewok-like creature that is also a captive. Then he takes the ship back into a black hole to escape (after rescuing his brother and the cat burglar). But is the planet they see when they come out of the black hole Earth? Since this was to be a pilot, I think we can assume there were supposed to be episodes to come, so the answer would be no. But there are many similarities--as well as differences--between "UFO Kidnapped" and "Flight of the Navigator."

When I was a kid, I used to watch one movie and one movie only, that movie was Flight of the Navigator. I absolutely loved it. As I grew older I tried to find it everywhere and never could..... THANK GOD FOR EBay! The movie starts out as David Freeman (Joey Cramer) goes to meet his little brother on his way home from a friend's house through the woods. When David's little brother scares him in the woods, David falls head first into a ditch. When he wakes up, it is eight years later, only thing is, he hasn't aged a day, and no one knows why. David is asked to NASA to undergo testing where they learn that he was taken in a alien space ship for research, and now, the spaceship (which crash landed on earth) needs the information it stored in David's brain to find its way back to it's own planet of Phaelon. This movie is great for kids, and is an adventurous mix of rebelion and drama, and offers the best special effects 1987 had to offer. My kids watched this movie with me the day I recieved it and they sat through the whole thing without moving a muscle. It was actually nice to see that a movie that captured my attention for so many years when I was young was still able to do the same for my kids 22 years later. I absolutely reccomend this movie for anyone with kids over, say, 5 years old (cause there are some pretty heavy moments that deal with some touchy subjects like abandonment, and some mild swearing). I loved it when I was young and now my kids enjoy it just as much, A+++

*A TRUE FAVORITE MOVIE OF OURS*

This is one of the greatest family movies of all time and one of those "Best kept secrets"..not many people remember it or know to look for it! If you're looking for something new and family safe, look no further. Because its one of those best kept secrets of how great it is, you'll probably find it very cheaply in ebay too!! (we did)

Great for boys and girls, not gender specific at all, and all ages young to old can appreciate and enjoy it. (that includes you parents)

Really, I can't say enough good things about this movie, but also don't want to give it away either. A boy gets picked up by a UFO and is returned to his family, only its 20 years later and he's still his same age. The UFO gets into an accident, and then needs the boys help...and the boy needs the UFO's help too. Lots of humor, fun to watch, and really makes you think. There are some great jokes about all the different styles of coke, typical sibling rivaly/teasing with a lesson. Very creative. I wish Itunes would add this one to the list of available movies to purchase/download...but since they don't, this DVD is well worth getting for the whole family!!! I don't think it's available in stores anymore either, so ebay is your best bet!

Very entertaining movie from Walt Disney. I have enjoyed this movie over and over. I really enjoy just about everything that Walt's legacy has produced.
This movie is about a boy tranported in time 8 years in the future, by a research ship from another galaxy.
His parents had declared him missing one evening after he didn't return from gettting his younger brother. Eight years later he shows up at the house he lived in to find that his parents no longer live there.
After being reunited with his family, officials from NASA try to figure out why he hadn't aged in 8 years.
Eventually his journey takes him back in time to the moment that he was abducted. And he was able to rejoin his family and live a normal life. With the exception of a cute little critter stowaway.
I highly recommend this movie.

When I first saw this movie, I knew immediately that I wanted to buy it. A story about a young boy abducted by aliens who returns eight years later makes a great movie that is enjoyable for, not only the '70s generation, but also the current generation. Given as touching a story-line as "E.T." and as much slapstick comedy material as "Airplane!", this movie has navigated its way to the top of the hearts of sci-fi fans, young and old.