Watch Kids' Reviews of
SPACE CAMP (HDNET)

I thought this movie pretty good. It was entertaining, filled with drama and there is a lot of good information about space presented in the film. A group of kids who come to a camp at the N.A.S.A. headquarters to learn all about space. Each of the kids is assigned a position in the space shuttle by an astronaut named Andie. When the group goes with Andie to the space shuttle for a simulation, they accidentally get launched up into space, and they have to figure out how to get back home before they run out of oxygen. What is not that great are the special effects and animation. When the characters go up into space, it almost looks like they are a cut-out picture. Nothing looks very realistic to me at all. I know that technology has come a long way since 1986, so that is why these things don't look that professional. What is good in the movie is the humor. The jokes are funny and easy to understand. The characters are also a good part of the movie. You really get to know them and enjoy their performances. This movie is rated PG, but it does have some bad language in it and some pretty intense scenes. Because of this, I think this movie would only be good for kids who are 10 - 14 years old. Since this is a classic movie, the family may enjoy sitting down and watching it together. I am giving Space Camp 3 out of 5 stars. My overall impression is that it is worth a look. Talia Rashba, age 11, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic..

In this movie, we follow a group of kids who attend space camp that cannot work together! But when they are accidentally launched into space, they are forced to settle their differences so they can return to earth. The campers that we follow are Kathryn Fairly (Lea Thompson), Tish Ambrosei (Kelly Preston), Rudy Tyler (Larry B. Scott), Max (Joaquin Phoenix), and Kevin Donaldson (Tate Donovan). Even though this movie is a little outdated being made in 1986, I still found myself at the end of my chair wondering what was going to happen next! This suspense was delivered from good acting, cool scenes, and intense music. They are several scenes that I can't get out of my head, but these two were my favorite. My first favorite is when Max has to go out in space and help Andie get oxygen. I love this scene because Max is the youngest kid out of his group and he goes out in space all by himself! My other favorite scene is when Kathryn has to fly the shuttle into "white sand" to land and return to earth. I would give Space Camp 3 stars out of 5, and recommend it to kids around age 7. I think adults would also enjoy this film with their families. This is an HDNet movie so watch for it all month long with your family on kidScene! Jennifer Huntoon, age 14, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

The 1986 movie Space Camp, is an adaptation of the book by the same title written by Patrick Bailey and Larry B. Williams. Many parts of this film are very suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat! This film is about five kids, Kevin, Kathryn, Tish, Rudy, and Max played by, Tate Donovan, Lea Thompson, Kelly Preston, Larry B. Scott, and Leaf Phoenix, who go to a camp to train like astronauts. The director of the camp is a strict astronaut named Andie, played by Kate Capshaw. Things get really exciting when they actually explore a real spaceship. A mechanical creature that NASA creates hears Max say that he wishes he could really go up in space, so he controls the spaceship to take off while the kids and Andie are still inside! This is my favorite scene in the movie because the kids are put into an adult situation and have to work as a team. Many exciting, suspenseful things happen while they're in space! I love all of the characters. Kevin is a teenage boy who is always on the lookout for cute girls; Kathryn is a very determined young woman who wants to become the first woman shuttle commander; Tish is a girlie girl, yet very smart; Rudy is a super smart and energetic teenage boy; and Max is the youngest of the group, yet very determined to show Andie how grown up he is. My favorite character would have to be Tish. I like her best because although she's super girlie, she's super smart. It shows that girls who are pretty can also be smart too! This movie is written by Clifford Green and Casey Mitchell and directed by Harry Winer. I recommend this film for ages eleven and up because there is some inappropriate language. Also, this film is almost two hours long and might be hard for a younger child to sit through. I give this film four out of five stars because at some points, it gets a little boring and because it's an older movie the special effects are really cheesy! Look for this classic family film on HDNet movies, KidScene this month! Camille Bajema, age 10,KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

Watch for this film all month on HDNet - kidScene Movies, September, 2012. Re-release, originally released in 1986.

The young attendees of a space camp find themselves in space for real when their shuttle is accidentally launched into orbit.