Viewed in
2008
Premise
A bunch of kids find adventure by looking for lost pirate booty on the Oregon coast.
Who should watch
Those who like energetic, family-friendly action flicks.
Thoughts
A very fun film to watch.
I credit Richard Donner's directing style. Sometimes unrealistic and goofy, it was the perfect style for a pure adventure involving kids. Even when there were dead bodies and skeletons, there was never a sense of grave danger or a mean-spirit. A pirate treasure hunt should be over-the-top and fantastic.
Another strength of the film was the child actors. The energy radiating from them powered each scene. I loved all the little moments of them running amok and wrecking havoc like real kids.
Looking at the cast, there were quite a few who went on to be famous, or infamous. I barely recognized a skinny Sean Astin, but Josh Brolin's eyebrows were still the same. Thankfully, Jonathan Ke Quan was not as annoying as when he was in 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'. And apparently, Joe Pantoliano was bald at an early age.
Had I seen this in my youth, I probably would have covered my ears every time I heard a cuss word, covered my eyes every time I saw a dead body, and uncovered them every time there was an up skirt shot of Andy. And of course, Sloth would have given me nightmares.
This was another 'right of passage' film for kids. I loved the blend of danger, excitement, and zany child antics. Definitely a must-see.
By the way, I would consider 'Goonies' a borderline PG-13 movie, because of all the cussing, dead bodies and skeletons.
What I would change
Nothing.
Random
After watching, I found out there was a deleted scene with an octopus. However, the film makers left in the scene where a character mentioned it. Which explained my confusion when I heard that character say it.
