Every generation has those key films that come along and engrain themselves in the zeitgeist on such a level that you feel like they have always been around. The 80s were an especially fertile time for films like these such as Back to the Future, The Terminator and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Any good child of the era knows that if you are going to wax poetic about that time, you have to talk about The Goonies. Sprung from the mind of Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus and lovingly directed by Richard Donner (Superman), The Goonies is one of the quintessential adventure movies that works almost as a rite of passage for young adults. The film introduced us to familiar faces that would come to define our cinematic world such as Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings series) and Josh Brolin (Avengers films). The Goonies was quite successful during its original run, but its legacy as a cult favorite has only grown as it has been introduced to new generations. With its immense success on home video over the years, it is only fitting that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has finally given the film the 4K UHD treatment it so richly deserves.
If you are one of the few who have not already went on the journey for One-Eyed Willy’s treasure, let’s break down the plot. On the coast of Oregon resides a group of children who affectionately call themselves “the Goonies.” Our group consists of the ever-optimistic de-facto leader Mike (Sean Astin), his older brother, Brandon (Josh Brolin), the chatterbox, Mouth (Corey Feldman), the brilliant amateur inventor, Data (Ke Huy Quan), and the portly, truth-stretching klutz, Chunk (Jeff Cohen). The Goonies are sadly spending their last weekend together in the face of impending foreclosures due to a greedy, wealthy businessman. When they stumble across the supposed map that leads to the lost treasure of famous pirate One-Eye Willy, Mike convinces the group to seek it out in hopes of staving off the foreclosure. Along their journey, they will be joined by the older Andy (Kerri Green), who happens to have a crush on Brandon, and her friend Stef (Martha Plimpton). While their dangerous adventure is already one littered with unknown booby traps, the group also has to square off against more immediate threats.
Unbeknownst to the Goonies, the path to their treasure will put them right in the crosshairs of the Fratelli crime family: Francis (Joe Pantoliano), Jake (Robert Davi), and their mother (Anne Ramsey). A good portion of the film involves the Goonies making their way through a complicated underground cave system where each of their different skills come in handy when it comes to avoiding booby traps and staying two steps ahead of the devious Fratelli family. The film itself starts out a bit slow as we are introduced to all of the characters and the stakes are established, but it moves at a break neck speed once the group begins their journey at the abandoned restaurant where the Fratelli family is lying low. There is fun and whimsy around every corner as our characters make hilarious quips and solve complex puzzles. If you did not grow up with an appreciation for the film from childhood, it would be difficult to say if it would inspire the same wonder as an adult viewing it for the first time. As someone who has always felt a nostalgic warmth towards time spent with the gang, every viewing still maintains the unbridled joy it initially evoked.
The film is marvel when it comes to sheer scale and elaborate production design, but the real magic resides in all of the different interpersonal relationships at play. You feel a real friendship between all of The Goonies rather than a hollow, patched together assortment of strangers. Sean Astin is completely charming in his feature debut as a character who constantly gets tongue tied and is fiercely dedicated to his friends. The brotherly bond between him and Brandon is also really refreshing. The character of Brandon may not always be on board with the antics of his little brother, but he never falls into being a jerk, which so easily could have happened. Even Chunk’s relationship with the Fratelli’s deformed younger brother, Sloth, is quite touching in its innocence. I am surely not going to tell you anything new about The Goonies that you have not already experienced yourself. The journey is one filled with big laughs and consistent thrills complemented by exciting, natural performances from the young cast. The film is a nostalgic favorite for many in a way that may not align with conventional critical analysis. Pick the film apart if you must, but I’ll be over here doing the truffle shuffle and enjoying a nice Baby Ruth.
Video Quality
The Goonies comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray in a 2160p presentation in its original aspect ratio in what appears to be a pretty fantastic upgrade from the ancient Blu-Ray master. The most impressive aspect of this presentation is the substantial uptick in detail and clarity. Subtle details in the elaborate production design are easily discernable in a way that was not possible previously. The film primarily takes place in the dark depths of an underground cave, which makes the deep inky black levels all the more welcome. There is no visible blooming with the white levels, and skin tones are nice and natural throughout. The only minor issue is the digital noise management that lessens the appearance of the natural film grain that should be present on a release such as this. The HDR10 color enhancement does not become a reference level showcase on the level of something like Beetlejuice, but there are more than a few moments where the colors really wow. The movie has some noteworthy elements such as in the costume design for Chunk and Data where colors really standout. While the subtle DNR should not have been employed here, the presentation still looks quite spectacular. This disc is a substantial upgrade from the old Blu-Ray disc.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a very active DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that gives an impressive amount of life to the adventure. The movie is very dialogue heavy, even during the exploration scenes, and clarity is mostly not an issue. Some of the young actors get a little bit mush-mouthy or lispy in their line readings, which may make you have to turn on the subtitles. The track makes good use of all of the surround speakers, with environmental flourishes and sound effects adding a lot of subtle activity. The positioning of the sounds is never an issue, and the track delivers on the low end of the spectrum. The soaring score from Dave Grusin that really fills the room throughout the movie. This is a very pleasing sounding experience from start to finish.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director Richard Donner and all seven now grown-up young actors provide an extremely raucous commentary track with overlapping conversations and memories from the production. Feldman dominates a lot of the track, but everyone has a chance to give interesting insights into the film and subsequent Cyndi Lauper video shoot.
- Hidden Treasures Pop-Up Track: The commentary track was also filmed at the time of the recording, and this disc offers up intermittent pop up videos of the cast recording it throughout the film. It is fun to see the cast more grown up, even if it was filmed some years ago.
- “The Making of The Goonies” Vintage Featurette: A seven-minute look at the production of the film featuring discussions with Spielberg, Donner and various cast members.
- Deleted Scenes: Seven-minutes of deleted scenes are included which features additional deciphering of the map, additional Data inventions, a showdown with an octopus and more. The scenes are really entertaining and worth watching.
- Cyndi Lauper Music Video – “The Goonies R Good Enough”: The two-part twelve minute “Goonies” inspired video features Lauper, the cast of the Goonies and a slew of wrestling icons in an elaborate story of debt collection. Steven Spielberg also makes a quick cameo as himself. It’s wild to see what a big undertaking this was for the time.
- Theatrical Trailer: The nearly three-minute trailer does a great job of establishing the stakes and introducing the characters.
Final Thoughts
The Goonies is a film that perfectly evokes the childlike sense of wonder that you get from going on an adventure with your friends. Sure, finding a priceless treasure would be nice, but it is the experiences that you have with your friends along the way that truly matters. For many, The Goonies is just like that childhood friend that has always been there for you adding to the priceless memories. Even after countless viewings, it still strikes the right chords that are so satisfying. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has delivered another substantial upgrade with this new 4K UHD Blu-Ray. Fans of this cult classic should consider this new disc an investment in future adventures with old friends. Highly Recommended
The Goonies is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
