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

| Jan 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.

| Jan 22, 2025

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.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 15, 2020

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.

| Nov 6, 2019

Flight of the Navigator is almost like two movies in one -- a creepy sci-fi mystery and a BFF road trip comedy all squished up together.

| Jan 9, 2019

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.

| Oct 25, 2018

Appealing children's sci-fi fantasy film, that follows the squeaky-clean Disney formula.

| Original Score: B | Apr 9, 2014

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.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 1, 2014

The brain-assaulting sci-fi second half of Flight of the Navigator is made palpable by Cramer, who deftly conveys anguish during the first half. Now, he wants to go home and his gung-ho attitude makes every dumb effect exciting.

| Apr 1, 2014

Flight of the Navigator, in spite of a rough beginning, soars as it should, taking a child on the journey of his life.

| Apr 1, 2014

The early CG FX have aged remarkably well, while the slow build-up makes the Spielbergian space adventure all the more fantastic.

| Apr 1, 2014

If there is more than a little something borrowed from Spielberg, Kleiser's movie is amiably undemanding entertainment that says the right things, albeit without great originality.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 1, 2014

This appealing children's adventure has just enough quirky touches to keep adults involved as well.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 1, 2014

There's no mistaking Flight of the Navigator for a really first-rate children's picture like, say, The Black Stallion. But Flight of the Navigator is an enjoyable film that encourages kids to use their heads.

| Apr 1, 2014

Cramer gives a spirited performance as the title character. Director Randal Kleiser uses a deft touch with his material. The result is a Navigator that's out-of-this-world fun for adults as well as children.

| Apr 1, 2014

Whereas its plot may be derivative--and at several junctures, unconvincing--"Flight of the Navigator" nevertheless manages to develop considerable humor and poignancy from David's predicament and what he does about it.

| Apr 1, 2014

Not a particularly original or insightful film of its kind, and marred slightly by the whining of Cramer in the lead role, this is nevertheless enjoyable fare for kids.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Apr 1, 2014

Never brave enough to feel far-reaching (or, ironically, far-fetched, when time-travel and space flight are so popular at the movies), Navigator still fulfills its mission, distracting the family for bang-on an hour and a half.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 1, 2014

This children's adventure turns out to be, despite its title, less of a Star Wars trip than an entertaining variation on the time-travel adventure Back to the Future.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 16, 2013

An exciting time travel adventure.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jan 2, 2011