By KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions
“Space Warriors” is a live-action film about kids who attend Space Camp in Huntsville, AL. Though it is a fictional story, it is based on a real place and according to KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O., age 11, it “feels very real and positive.”
All of our film critics agree that this is a fun and exciting film that inspired them to want to visit the real Space Camp. Adam C., Age 7, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic tells us that they even fact-checked the story with NASA “and it was plausible that this could have happened in real life.” Proving that it has multi-age and gender appeal, 13-year-old KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Cassandra H. calls this “a fun and unexpectedly down-to-earth film for all ages.
Airing on May 31, this Hallmark Channel Original Movie is perfect for the whole family. You can hear our discussion about this film on the KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions Radio Show.
Space Warriors
Reviewed by Cassandra H.
Space geeks will envy the rip-roaring adventures in the movie, “Space Warriors.” I was pleasantly surprised to see that the plot was simpler than I imagined. Before I watched the movie, the title made me cringe, suggesting that it was about teenagers battling aliens in a cheesy rampage through outer space. Clearly, I was wrong to judge a movie by its poster. “Space Warriors” is a fun and unexpectedly down-to-earth film for all ages.
Jimmy Hawkins (Thomas Horn, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”), the son of a retired NASA astronaut, is a complete astronomy geek. His dream is to go to space, and the opportunity arises in the form of Space Camp, where teams can compete for the chance to go to space. His parents, played by Dermot Mulroney and Mira Sorvino, forbid him to join Space Camp fearing for his safety, but Jimmy joins anyway. At Space Camp he meets the brightest, nerdiest group of astronomy-lovers, called Space Warriors. They have to learn to work together as a team not only to win the competition, but to save the lives of three astronauts along the way as well.
Colonel Manley (Josh Lucas), one of the commanders at Space Camp, is one of my favorite characters – he’s witty and smart with just a touch of dry humor and sarcasm. Sean McNamara (“Soul Surfer”) is the director of “Space Warriors.” Along the same lines of “Soul Surfer,” this movie has many great themes that include teamwork, leadership, overcoming fear, thinking outside the box, making wise choices and most importantly, it shines a positive light on youth. The Space Warriors don’t let anyone look down on them because of their age – they prove to the entire world that age doesn’t matter as long as you have passion, a love of discovering, and an open mind.
The movie incorporates footage from history in outer space and was shot on-location at the Space Camp in Alabama. For science-lovers, this movie is the ultimate “Easter egg” hunt, where geeks will want to shout and announce to other viewers, “That’s the actual footage of landing on the moon!” or “I’ve been on a moon-gravity stimulator just like that!” I found myself thinking that if I could go to a Space Camp that looks even half as fun as the one in the movie, it’d be the best summer of my life.
I recommend this movie for all ages, especially for aspiring scientists. I give it four out of five stars. “Space Warriors” will inspire viewers to look up and rekindle an excitement for learning about the unknown universe of space. Learn more about a world outside our own that we’ve barely begun to discover and catch “Space Warriors” on the Hallmark Channel, airing May 31!
KIDS FIRST! is a project of the Coalition for Quality Children’s Media, a national, nonprofit organization founded in 1991 whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children’s media.
