12-year-old David Freeman (a fine and likeable performance by Joey Cramer) disappears for eight years only to find out that nothing is quite the same when he returns home. It turns out that David was whisked away on an alien space craft and now possesses knowledge that's essential for the space craft to complete its mission.

Director Randal Kleiser keeps the involving and hugely entertaining story whisking along at a brisk pace, brings an engaging feeling of genuine awe and wonder to the captivating premise, and maintains a tone that's sweet and breezy, but fortunately never becomes too cloying or cutesy. Moreover, the character of David actually undergoes a nice transitional arc in which he learns to take charge of his own life and be more considerate to his younger brother. The sound acting by the capable cast helps a lot: Cliff De Young and Veronica Cartwright as David's concerned and puzzled parents, Howard Hesseman as deceitful scientist Dr. Louis Farraday, Matt Adler as the cool and helpful teen version of David's younger brother Jeff, and Sarah Jessica Parker as spunky intern Carolyn McAdams. Paul Reubens provides the exuberant voice of spaceship pilot Max. In addition, the spacecraft boasts a novel and original design, the aerial photography is breathtaking, and the nifty special effects hold up pretty well. Kudos are also in order for James Glennon's glossy cinematography and Alan Silvestri's bouncy score. A total delight.

I remember catching this on TV as a kid and really liking it. Not much has changed in the years since, as this is still a cool, fun kid's adventure film, perhaps not as in depth or as well made as Joe Dante's EXPLORERS but nevertheless a firm staple of a 1980s childhood.

The storyline is split into two halves, and the first half actually turns out to be an intriguing mystery about a boy who suffers a fall in the woods and who wakes up to discover eight years have mysteriously disappeared. Joey Cramer makes for a likable lead; maybe he's not the best actor in the world but I found myself caring about and identifying with his character.

After this set-up, the second half lets rip with an exhilarating fantasy set piece in which the lad takes a journey around the world in a really cool-looking UFO. There are some excellent special effects here and plenty of humour thanks to the reliably strange Paul Reubens in a voice performance. It's all very lightweight but no less entertaining because of it. Sarah Jessica Parker turns up in an early supporting role and Veronica Cartwright (ALIEN) is as good value as ever playing the kid's stressed-out mother.

It's 1978 Florida. 12 year old David Freeman (Joey Cramer)'s parents are Helen (Veronica Cartwright) and Bill (Cliff De Young). He falls down a ravine in the woods behind his house and hits his head. He wakes up to find 8 years have passed but he hasn't aged a single day. His little brother Jeff (Matt Adler) is now 16. Meanwhile Dr. Louis Faraday (Howard Hesseman) is investigating a crashed UFO. David seems to have a connection to the ship. Faraday convinces the family to allow David to go with him by his lonesome. Carolyn McAdams (Sarah Jessica Parker) is a low level worker at the secret facility who befriends David.

There is a moment where this movie goes off the tracks a little. Faraday is able to convince David and his family to allow him to go off to a secret base with strangers all by himself. It's crazy unbelievable. No parents would ever do that without guns pointed at their heads especially for a 12 year old who's been missing for 8 years and presumed dead. I get the appeal of having the kid by himself in a strange environment. It raises the tension but does it in an unreasonable way. The core of the movie is a fascinating children's sci-fi fantasy. Joey Cramer is an endearing child actor. There are a lot to like in this movie but that turn keeps bugging me.