Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times, 1985

“Goonies,” like “Gremlins,” walks a thin line between the cheerful and the gruesome, and the very scenes the adults might object to are the ones the kids will like the best: Spielberg is congratulating them on their ability to take the heavy-duty stuff. The movie begins with an assortment of engaging boys, including a smart kid, a kid with braces, a fat kid, an older brother, and an Asian kid whose clothing conceals numerous inventions. Along the way they pick up a couple of girls, whose function is to swap spit and get bats in their hair. The kids find an old treasure map and blunder into the hideout of a desperate gang of criminals – two brothers, led by a Ma Barker type. There is a third brother, a Quasimodish freak, who is kept chained down in the cellar, where he watches TV. The tunnels to the treasure begin under the hideout. The kids find the tunnels while fleeing from the bad guys, and then go looking for the treasure with the crooks on their tails. There are lots of special effects and among the set pieces are the same kinds of booby traps that Indiana Jones survived in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (falling boulders, sharp spikes), and a toboggan ride on a water chute that will remind you of the runaway train in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”

… Another Spielberg trademark, faithfully achieved by Donner, is a breakneck narrative speed. More things happen in this movie than in six ordinary action films. There’s not just a thrill a minute; there’s a thrill, a laugh, a shock, and a special effect. The screenplay has all the kids talking all at once, all the time, and there were times, especially in the first reel, when I couldn’t understand much of what they were saying. The movie needs to be played loud, and with extra treble.

Chunk, Mikey, Mouth and Data discover a treasure map in Mikey’s attic…. During “Goonies,” I was often exhilarated by what was happening. Afterward, I was less enthusiastic. The movie is totally manipulative, which would be okay, except it doesn’t have the lift of a film like “E.T.” It has the high energy without the sweetness. It uses what it knows about kids to churn them up, while “E.T.” gave them things to think about, the values to enjoy. “The Goonies”, like “Gremlins,” shows that Spielberg and his directors are absolute masters of how to excite and involve an audience. “E.T.” was more like “Close Encounters;” it didn’t simply want us to feel, but also to wonder, and to dream.

It’s a dangerous thing to revisit movies that were childhood favorites. For every one that stands the test of time (such as “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”), there are handfuls of other ones that make you a bit embarrassed at your misguided devotion. But I’m pleased to announce that “The Goonies” has easily passed the “Do I still dig it all these years later?” test despite some truly noticeable flaws that I was joyously able to ignore way back when.

The guys find the Fratellis’ hideout.Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com, 2001

… Despite the fact that I love this movie and would easily recommend it to just about anyone, there are a few cracks in the armor that I never noticed before. A lot of the kids’ line readings are all off. The pacing of the third act drags noticeably and a lot of the special effects show their age. Much of the dialogue is simplistic and trite, while there are easily a handful of entirely unnecessary sequences. (The whole “water pipes exploding at the country club” scene, for example.)

… But why mess with fond memories? None of these shortcomings come close to making “The Goonies” a bad film, and the overwhelmingly “fun” tone of the movie goes a really long way. While it was only a modest hit upon its theatrical release in 1985, “The Goonies” became a massive hit on video and is one of the most fondly remembered “little” movies from the entire decade.

Mikey gets his first glimpse of One-Eyed Willie.JoBlo’s Movie Emporium (www.joblo.com), date unknown

This is what happens when you give Steven Spielberg (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”), Chris Columbus (“Home Alone”) and Richard Donner (“Superman”) reign over a kids movie. You get a flick packed with action and adventure, laughs, fun rides, and an overwhelming spirit of irresponsibility, wonder and amazement. What a cool movie! I can’t believe that even as an “adult,” I loved this movie so much. I dug pretty much everything about it, starting with its extra cool opening shot of the camera passing through a skull’s eye, all of the kids in it, who were perfect for their roles (how Chunk didn’t get nominated for an Oscar is beyond me…the kid was hilarious!), the amazing adventures strung throughout (can anyone say Indiana Jones Jr.?) and even the cute romance developed between some of the characters.

VHS cover of ‘The Goonies.’