However, the cast of Stargazers makes up for this stumble. Cropley is easy to root for and nicely grounds the narrative’s wildness. Richards is just annoying enough to make it understandable why Benji doesn’t have more friends. The actor plays his anger at his best friend’s potential move with the right amount of confusion and frustration. Thomson is fun and energetic, rounding out the friend circle well. The fact that a first-time filmmaker is able to get such fun performances out of all the children in the cast says a lot about his skills and understanding of the material.
James overacts, on purpose, as his role is a bit of a bumbling geek. But he’s constantly funny. Cornelius is hilarious as the alien bounty hunter. A scene in which she goes to get more appropriate attire generates one of the biggest laughs of the entire 95-minute runtime (shout-out to the lady playing the employee, later seen at the club. She was also quite good). Cornelius balances that confusion and humor with a threatening air that screams there’s something off about this person.
Jack, Benji, Sadie, and Professor Alan investigate strange activity in the forest.
“The best thing about the picture, though, is its use of practical effects.”
Brooks directs Stargazers with style. He balances the tones and genres nicely, with very little detracting from the drama, comedy, and sci-fi adventure portions. The opening is especially fantastic. It is largely dialogue-free as a starship hurtles into Earth’s atmosphere and crashes. It is a gripping and exciting prologue that fuels much of the adventure later on. There is a moment when Jack and Benji scream and run away from a certain character. The next scene sees them discussing why they ran, and it is so hysterical yet authentic that it sums up everything one needs to know about Jack and Beji perfectly.
The best thing about the picture, though, is its use of practical effects. The alien (before disguising itself) is entirely special effects make-up and costuming. The starships are also, for the most part, models, and that tangible quality helps viewers accept the sci-fi trappings beyond just the scripting. The movie looks very good (minus a few scenes in Jack’s house with very dull lighting), and the use of practical effects is a major reason for that.
Stargazers is a fun ride for the whole family. While not everything in the script completely makes sense or is entirely clear, the main themes and the adventure will capture audiences, especially younger viewers. The direction is strong, balancing the comedy, sci-fi, and action well. The cast is winning, and each actor suits their respective role pleasantly.
For more information, visit the official Stargazers site.
"…a fun ride for the whole family."
