SpaceCamp (1986) ABC Motion Pictures/Sci-Fi-Adventure RT: 107 minutes Rated PG (language, intense scenes) Director: Harry Winer Screenplay: W.W. Wicket and Casey T. Mitchell Music: John Williams Cinematography: William A. Fraker Release date: June 6, 1986 (US) Cast: Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson, Kelly Preston, Larry B. Scott, Leaf Phoenix (Joaquin Phoenix), Tate Donovan, Tom Skerritt, Barry Primus, Terry O’Quinn, Mitchell Anderson, T. Scott Coffey, Daryl Roach. Box Office: $9.6M (US)
Rating: ** ½
It’s not hard to understand why SpaceCamp bombed at the box office. It came out less than five months after the space shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after liftoff (January 28, 1986). The tragedy was still fresh in the minds of the American moviegoing public; the last thing they wanted to see was a movie about a group of teens and their female teacher accidentally launched into space on a shuttle that isn’t flight ready. What was supposed to be lighthearted summer entertainment turned into a “marketing nightmare” for the studio. How do you sell a film tainted by a real-life disaster? It turns out you can’t. It made less than $10 million not even recouping half its budget.
The truth is SpaceCamp isn’t all that bad a movie. That is to say, it isn’t terrible. It’s just deeply flawed. It’s predictable and far-fetched, the characters are one-dimensional and it has more plot holes than you can shake a stick at. It also feels rushed especially at the end. At the same, it’s entertaining on the level of a silly 80s summer sci-fi movie aimed at kids and young teens. If you grew up in the Reagan era, it has a nostalgic feel that makes it kind of fun.
After once again being denied a place on a shuttle mission, astronaut Andie Bergstrom (Capshaw, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom) agrees to be an instructor at NASA’s space training program for scientific-minded youngsters. Her “Blue Team” is composed of the usual teen archetypes- bossy, know-it-all Kathryn (Thompson, Back to the Future), arrogant preppie Kevin (Donovan, Memphis Belle), Valley Girl Tish (Preston, Secret Admirer), token black guy Rudy (Scott, Revenge of the Nerds) and smart little kid Max (Phoenix, Parenthood). Naturally, they have a hard time working together, an issue that causes them to fail a flight simulation test.
Each kid has a defining trait or two. Kathryn idolizes Andie and is understandably hurt when she appoints Kevin as “Shuttle Commander” because he needs a lesson in taking responsibility. Tish comes off as ditzy, but is actually a genius with a photographic memory. Rudy, who wants to open the first fast food franchise in space, loves science but isn’t very good at it. Max, an eager little guy determined to run with the big kids, loves Star Wars and often pretends he’s Luke Skywalker. There’s also a cute little robot named Jinx (voice actor Welker) whose malfunction is that he takes everything too literally. He and Max become “friends forever”.
In a plot turn that defies logic, the Blue Team is selected to be the lucky campers allowed to sit inside a real space shuttle during engine testing. Through an unbelievable set of circumstances, a situation occurs that forces ground control to launch the shuttle into space in order to avoid an explosion. With no means of long range communication and not enough oxygen to make it to the nearest window, the team has to learn to work together to make it back home.
Directed by Harry Winer (House Arrest), SpaceCamp doesn’t really distinguish itself in any way other than promoting the real Space Camp in Huntsville, AL. We’ve met these character types before- with the possible exception of Preston’s Madonna-be teen- in similar life-or-death scenarios. Capshaw’s character is the classic type who just needs one chance to prove herself to the men at NASA including her husband (Skerritt, Alien), a former astronaut who has been to space. Even the robot is familiar. He’s like Johnny 5 from Short Circuit (released a month earlier) only less intelligent. The plot contains no surprises. Events unfold like clockwork and lead to the expected outcome each time. This, however, is the least of the movie’s problems. It has a bigger one.
Actually, it’s a big problem composed of several little ones. I’m referring the to the screenplay’s holes and gaps in logic. If you really think about it, SpaceCamp doesn’t make a lot of sense. For example, how is it that the Blue Team gets to sit in the shuttle? For that matter, who are they even up against? We never meet any of the other teams. Shouldn’t they have a bitter rival? Where’s the conflict? ANYWAY, let’s momentarily set aside the disbelief that NASA would actually go for such a thing. Let’s also assume that none of the instructors question the Blue Team winning the honor even though they can plainly see first-hand that something’s hinky. The Blue Team is NOT the best team yet it’s only a matter of minutes of screen time between them “dying” in their simulated flight and entering the shuttle. Where’s the montage of them finally getting their act together to the tune of some cheesy rock song by Survivor? This can be answered away by explaining that Jinx hacks the computer system to make sure Max and the others get chosen, but it raises yet another question. How is it none of the tech geeks at NASA detect this beforehand. Isn’t it part of their job? Aren’t they supposed to be the best in their field? A guy could go mental thinking about it.
And then there’s the ending. Without going into too much detail, it’s rushed. Once the crisis is resolved, it stops without tying up a few minor loose ends. Shouldn’t there at least be a celebratory scene of some kind where everybody welcomes them home?
To its credit, SpaceCamp has a winning cast and a love for science that clearly shines through. The special effects are cheesy by today’s standards, but look good for their time. In general, it’s an entertaining movie as long as you don’t think about it too hard. Myself, I enjoy it, flaws and all.
