Review of Cloak & Dagger (1984) by Robert M — 18 Mar 2010

This is a highly underrated spy thriller that was a childhood favourite of mine and despite some outdated technology and a plot that revolves around an Atari video game cartridge, it holds up remarkably well over twenty-five years later.

I think the measure of its success is how good a job it does at appealing to both children and adults; the movie was definitely made with young audiences in mind, but the storyline is exciting and fast-paced (not to mention violent) enough that it doesn't feel like some watered-down kid's film and will entertain viewers of all ages.

This was Henry Thomas' follow-up to "E.T." and he does a terrific job here in a role that any young viewer can identify with: an imaginative kid who gets caught up in a serious situation, but can't get anyone to believe him.

The film is also a great showcase for Dabney Coleman in the dual role of the young protagonist's stern father and the kid's imaginary spy friend, Jack Flack. As a whole, "Cloak & Dagger" is a lot of fun as a nostalgia trip, but still works as a standalone film.