SpaceCamp

'We're going to train you just like real astronauts', says SpaceCamp instructor Capshaw, 'We're here to provide you with hands-on hardware'. In real life, SpaceCamp is like a NASA-sponsored playgroup, a cross between summer camp and Colditz, where teenagers who believe in the American space dream can learn how it feels to be an astronaut. In the movie, it's more of a device to explore the usual hang-ups and foibles of the five teenage participants, none of whom carry much conviction. The action starts to heat up as the young astros get a chance to put what they've learned into practice. Up until then, Space Camp plods along like any other half-baked teenage flick; but once in space, it gathers momentum for a gripping hands-on hardware climax.