* {{Adorkable}}: Ben and Wolfgang, respectively. Two young boys who have an endearing, precocious love for science.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-K9N_mF-hk Jerry Goldsmith]] never, ever disappoints. Further example: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c59g3KucIzo the music that plays during the]] ATeamMontage to build the ''Thunder Road''.
** Both versions of "All Around The World" ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV64ogkkwmo one by]] Music/LittleRichard that was used in the movie, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHDohh2ZMso the other]] by Robert Palmer featured on the soundtrack).
** Red 7's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-5o5LFIv8M Less Than Perfect]].
** Music/NightRanger's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm9J_qn9Dus This Boy Needs To Rock]].
* HarsherInHindsight:
** A kid might not get the implication of "My dad taught me how to run. He can't catch me anymore." As an adult, it's pretty wince-worthy realizing what the character actually means.
** More of a poignant, tearjerking example in hindsight is how both River Phoenix and Amanda Peterson are seen floating through the skies at the end of the film, since both poor souls have died at a tragically young age in real life.
* RetroactiveRecognition:
** Creator/RobertPicardo. ''Explorers'' came out a decade before ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. It came out years before ''Series/ChinaBeach''.
** Creator/JamesCromwell's bigger kids movie was ten years later in ''Film/{{Babe}}''.
** Meschach Taylor before being in ''Film/{{Mannequin}}'' or the series ''Series/DesigningWomen''.
** Creator/TaliesinJaffe as Ludwig.
** Danny Nucci- best known as Fabrizio in ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'' as one of Wolfgang's biggest bullies.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Even at the time of release, [[http://reflectionsonfilmandtelevision.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-films-of-1985-explorers.html a number of people]] opined that the third act reveal that the aliens are wacky pop-culture lovers was a rather lame and unsatisfying letdown after the wondrous, Amblinesque first half. Dante himself is [[CreatorBacklash not very proud of it.]] (''Film/FlightOfTheNavigator'', released the following year, is similarly divisive for taking a lighter tone in its back half.)
* SpecialEffectsFailure:
** Deliberately done in the [[ShowWithinAShow movie at the drive-in]]. This is further [[PlayedForLaughs played with]] when the Thunder Road floats in front of the screen.
** The CGI during the dream sequences have not held up all that spectacularly.
* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: There are a lot of good effects - the spider robot walking for one.
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