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Solarbabies

  • 1986
  • PG-13
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
4.8/10
5.3K
YOUR RATING
Solarbabies (1986)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer1:54
1 Video
43 Photos
Dystopian Sci-FiQuestActionAdventureDramaSci-Fi

In a post-apocalyptic future ruled by the military, a group of renegade teenage orphans find a legendary orb, Bohdai, that can supposedly bring the rain back to dried up Earth.In a post-apocalyptic future ruled by the military, a group of renegade teenage orphans find a legendary orb, Bohdai, that can supposedly bring the rain back to dried up Earth.In a post-apocalyptic future ruled by the military, a group of renegade teenage orphans find a legendary orb, Bohdai, that can supposedly bring the rain back to dried up Earth.

  • Director
    • Alan Johnson
  • Writers
    • Walon Green
    • D.A. Metrov
    • Roderick Taylor
  • Stars
    • Richard Jordan
    • Jami Gertz
    • Jason Patric
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.8/10
    5.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alan Johnson
    • Writers
      • Walon Green
      • D.A. Metrov
      • Roderick Taylor
    • Stars
      • Richard Jordan
      • Jami Gertz
      • Jason Patric
    • 77User reviews
    • 60Critic reviews
    • 24Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:54
    Trailer

    Photos42

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    Top cast22

    Edit
    Richard Jordan
    Richard Jordan
    • Grock
    Jami Gertz
    Jami Gertz
    • Terra
    Jason Patric
    Jason Patric
    • Jason
    Lukas Haas
    Lukas Haas
    • Daniel
    James Le Gros
    James Le Gros
    • Metron
    Claude Brooks
    Claude Brooks
    • Rabbit
    Peter DeLuise
    Peter DeLuise
    • Tug
    Peter Kowanko
    • Gavial
    • (as Pete Kowanko)
    Adrian Pasdar
    Adrian Pasdar
    • Darstar
    Sarah Douglas
    Sarah Douglas
    • Shandray
    Charles Durning
    Charles Durning
    • The Warden
    Frank Converse
    Frank Converse
    • Greentree
    Terrence Mann
    Terrence Mann
    • Ivor
    Alexei Sayle
    Alexei Sayle
    • Malice
    Bruce Payne
    Bruce Payne
    • Dogger
    Willoughby Gray
    Willoughby Gray
    • Canis
    Kelly Bishop
    Kelly Bishop
    • Tutor Nover
    Sam Hamann
    • Technician
    • Director
      • Alan Johnson
    • Writers
      • Walon Green
      • D.A. Metrov
      • Roderick Taylor
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews77

    4.85.2K
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    Featured reviews

    5christian562

    The nostalgia goggles, they do nothing!

    After about 20 years of having little more than vague memories of this movie rollerskating about in my head, I finally broke down and re-watched Solarbabies.

    All I can say is, well, bless them for trying. It really isn't a BAD movie... it does manage to be entertaining even though it occasionally drags. The only problem is that it borrows a lot from other movies and never seems to decide on a style of its own.

    Overall I didn't feel as drawn in to the story as I'd hoped, but despite the somewhat vague plot and generic characters, it was still good fun. And if nothing else, it teaches us that all we really need to set things right in the world are friendship and roller skating. And maybe a magic ball from outer space.
    7AllstonRockCity

    Possibly the worst movie ever made, in a good way.

    This film is a riot. It's badness is epic. It is hard to know where to begin in terms of describing the experience of Solarbabies, but one could start by saying that a central episode involves a chase scene of children dramatically escaping from a futuristic special-forces police force by ROLLER SKATING through the DESERT. I am not making this up.

    The completely random plot and incredulously goofy bonding/friendship scenes between the child-prisoners and their glowing-ball alien friend could only have been the product of coked-out brainstorming sessions of Hollywood types in the 80s.

    Are children lovable prisoners of a Nazi-Fetish, post-apocalyptic corporation/government agency that inexplicably decides to profit by running a child-labor camp in the desert? Check. Are the children also forced to play an arena sport involving roller skates? Check. Does a glowing alien ball appear randomly and befriend the children, with no apparent connection to anything else in the film? Check. Do the children breakdance with the glowing alien ball-friend? Check. Does the glowing alien ball require the children to escape the prison and go on a quest? Yep. Do the children "escape" simply by roller-skating away from the "prison" (through a desert)? Um, yes. Does the glowing alien ball-friend require the children to join hands in a ritualized new-age circle of friendship/love in order to achieve its full glowing alien ball powers? You betcha.

    If this movie were any better, I would give it one star. But it charges so far past the normal constraints of the badness boundaries that it comes out on the other side and emerges as something that is actually pretty entertaining and fairly compelling. The bar starts out low, but the filmmakers just keep on lowering it, going way past the zero point, and actually discovering new ways to make a bad movie worse. It is like art in reverse.
    dmdb

    Solid teenage movie

    I only write reviews of movies with low rating, which actually are not that bad. Give them a chance!

    If you like apocalypse / post-apocalypse and you are aware that this is a teenage movie, I don't know why you wouldn't like it! It is really cool, story is good, they made an effort to create post-apocalyptic world and everything else works fine. Kids are not acting well, that I must admit, but they are kids... and pretty much all other 80s teenage movies have the same problem, but that does not mean Solarbabies should have 4.8 ( as in this moment ). It is a solid movie, and if you like apocalypse I am sure that you will like this one, too.

    6/10
    sansevieria

    Pretty good movie, even though a little corny

    I have seen Solarbabies (aka Solar Warriors) many times, and I like it. I first saw it on video when I was seven or eight. Looking at it now, (I own a copy) the plot is a little corny, but when you consider that was pretty normal of movies made in the mid-80's, it's hard to hold that against this one.

    For some reason, the "skateball" game that is popular with characters in the movie almost seems like a knock-off of Rollerball, but that's okay.

    If nothing else, it had a terrific cast...Richard Jordan, Jami Gertz, Jason Patric, and Lukas Haas, among others. I'm not sure the movie would have been very good without them.

    I would rate this movie 3 out of 5 on story and 4 out of 5 on casting. So about 3.5 stars...
    4utgard14

    "I can't believe that I'm standing here talking to a ball."

    Silly nonsense about a post-apocalyptic future where it doesn't rain and the kids are raised in a prison. There they play a game that's kind of a kids' version of Rollerball and wait to grow up and become guards or something for the corporation running the world. They find a glowing alien ball called Bohdai and uninteresting stuff happens. Laughable to the extreme, with ugly-looking '80s costumes and an odd fascination with rollerskating. It's unintentionally funny at times, and I totally give it points for that, but ultimately it's just embarrassing for all involved. See it for Jami Gertz, because you should see anything with Jami Gertz.

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    Related interests

    Clive Owen and Clare-Hope Ashitey in Children of Men (2006)
    Dystopian Sci-Fi
    Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, and Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz (1939)
    Quest
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The movie was filmed on location in Spain, a country selected for its abundant desert landscape. Ironically, production was held up for several weeks due to - of all things - rain. It was also selected for its lower production costs (lower taxes, non-union crew, etc.) at the time.
    • Goofs
      Metron's skates disappear as he pole-vaults over the fence to get into the Aqua Bunker, then they re-appear as he lands
    • Quotes

      Gavial: [making improper advances] Terra? I like the sweat.

      Terra: Get out, you creature of filth!

      Gavial: Hey, I just wanna talk. Maybe a little *hands-on parley*?

      Terra: [hits him in the groin with her shovel] Now I'm listening.

      Gavial: [backs off] Next time.

    • Alternate versions
      When originally released theatrically in the UK, the BBFC made cuts to secure a 'PG' rating. All cuts were waived in 1987 when the film was granted a '15' certificate for home video, later re-rated to a '12' certificate in 2016.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home/An American Tail/Firewalker/Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      Love Will Set You Free
      Written by Smokey Robinson and Ivory Stone

      Performed by Smokey Robinson

      Courtesy of Motown Records/Taj Mahal Music

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    FAQ18

    • How long is Solarbabies?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 26, 1986 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Solarfighters
    • Filming locations
      • Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona, USA
    • Production companies
      • Brooksfilms
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,579,260
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $704,692
      • Nov 30, 1986
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,579,260
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 34m(94 min)
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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