Adventure movies were big business throughout the '80s. Popular directors like Steven Spielberg helped revolutionize the genre through their limitless imagination, crafting some of the most flawless and magical films of all time.
Of course, not every adventure movie was a home run. Like everything that becomes popular, a myriad cheap knock-offs were produced in an effort to make a quick buck. For every fantastic Spielberg film that was produced, five cheap knock-offs were made that were just as quickly forgotten.
Didn't Age Well: Jake Speed (1986)
Jake Speed is one of those movies that looks to capitalize on the success of other, far better films. Made on a small budget of just $5 million, Jake Speed both honors and sends up pulp novels. It's old-fashioned and campy stuff in the vein of Indiana Jones, only not nearly as entertaining or as well made. Not surprisingly, the movie made just $1 million at the box office, proving that audiences knew a ripoff when they saw one.
Timeless: Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
Unsuspecting audiences would never know that just as thrilling and exciting today as it was back in 1981 when it captivated audiences and made $384 million. Harrison Ford remains as charming as ever, and the movie's sense of adventure & action sequences haven't aged a day.
Didn't Age Well: The Blue Lagoon (1980)
The Blue Lagoon isn't so much "dated" as it is just "never good." Yet despite horrid reviews, the movie ended up grossing $58 million, making it the ninth-highest grossing film of the year in North America. Despite its popularity then, there's a reason people don't talk about it today. It's dreadful. It serves as a reverse Lord of the Flies, as two marooned cousins fall in love and experience puberty together. The horrible acting doesn't help.
Timeless: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Just making the '80s is The Empire Strikes Back, which still serves as a wondrous blend of science fiction and adventure.
Many critics and Star Wars fans consider The Empire Strikes Back to be the best movie in the series, even after all these years and subsequent sequels & prequels. It's an impeccably written, directed, and paced film, and even though everyone knows the now-iconic plot twist, that doesn't make the movie any less effective as a thrilling piece of escapism.
Didn't Age Well: Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
There have been many Sherlock Holmes adaptations throughout the years, and 1985 saw a unique twist on the usual proceedings. Young Sherlock Holmes de-ages its primary characters, placing both Holmes and John Watson in a boarding school. Yet the movie is very much a product of its time, marrying Sherlock Holmes with Spielberg– they even discover an underground pyramid. It's just a very bland film with uninspired direction from Barry Levinson.
Timeless: E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
A list of timeless '80s adventure films wouldn't be complete without Spielberg's masterpiece. E.T. was a revolutionary and unbelievably popular film when it was released in 1982, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time with an initial box office performance of $619 million worldwide (about $1.6 billion today). It is still a magical, imaginative, and deeply touching film that richly contains all the makings of a Spielberg classic.
Didn't Age Well: TRON (1982)
its visual effects. Live action footage was combined with both computer and backlit animation, creating a visually appealing film unlike anything that was seen at the time.
And while the film is certainly revolutionary and wickedly inspirational to future filmmakers, there's no denying that it looks pretty darned silly today. TRON always lived and died by its visuals, and now it's dead.
Timeless: Back To The Future (1985)
Even to this day, time travel film ever made. It is one of the most tightly-written and edited films of all time, and it mostly avoids all the "wait a second" questions that typically come with movies of its kind. It's telling that a "genre movie" like this was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. There's never a dull moment, and it makes time travel just as magical as it should be.
Didn't Age Well: Clash Of The Titans (1981)
Like TRON, Clash of the Titans.
Timeless: The Goonies (1985)
