• With Richard Donner directing, Spielberg producing, and Chris Columbus writing—it’s a hell of a blockbustery/populist talent combination behind it—you put that with a gifted young cast of kids and you have a worthy film here
  • The casting goes beyond the young talented actors (Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton)-  the character actors here playing the villains: Anne Ramsey (unmistakable), Robert Davi (who is in everything in the 80’s) and good old Joe Pantoliano are great as well
  • Columbus isn’t a great director but he can capture something imagination and is good at working with child actors (first Harry Potter, Home Alone)
  • It has Spielberg’s suburbia
  • The country club as enemy story fall is pretty weak
  • We’re in the 80’s here hard and heavy—Feldman with a Purple Rain t-shirt—Cyndi Lauper should get a credit in the film
  • At any age—Sean Astin can play genuine—he’s earnest here, Rudy later on and then in Lord of the Rings
  • This film has its weaknesses and is a fringe recommendation—it makes Stand By Me (also with Feldman) look like a masterpiece – which it isn’t
  • The skeleton of the story is great—the adventure—the treasure hunt—but Columbus’ dialogue is pretty mediocre. Plenty of “kids suck” lines—and I think this leaves the actors hanging far too often. Multiple kids here are a tough hang
  • Many cues from Indiana Jones like the booby traps, falling rocks
  • A nod to the swashbuckling of Errol Flynn and his films in the text—and the ship itself at the end and that entire cave is a great set piece
  • Recommend but not in the top 10 of 1985