Review of Cloak & Dagger (1984) by Jason F — 13 Oct 2006

This film is about terrorist on American soil. People are dying and it is a matter of national security. One of the characters is constantly yelling for Jack. Nope sorry this is not an episode of [u]24[/u] it's the cult favorite 80's film [u]Cloak & Dagger[/u]. Although if Jack Bauer did show up this movie would be over in about two minutes.

Starring Henry Thomas -- riding off the fame he received from [u]E.T.[/u] -- as Davey. Davey is obsessed with the fictious world of spies so much so that he talks to imaginary spy Jack Flack who so happens to be the star of a video game. Davey's fantasy soon turns into reality when he accidentally receives a Cloak & Dagger video game (for some reason they were called tapes in the eighties) that has a microchip for top secret blueprints for an air craft. The villains soon discover that he has the tape and try to kill him and his friends. Yup these bad guys aren't above shooting and trying to blow up little kids. When no adults believe him it is up to him and his whiny girlfriend (I so want to smack her over the head) to try and save the day. Davey consults the imaginary Jack Flack for advice and is able to thwart the villains get the adults to believe him and save the day.

Although entertaining for children under 12 this film does have its' plot holes. Although we know the plans are for an aircraft we never learn what the capabilities of the aircraft are and why foreign governments are resorting to espionage. For that matter we never learn who the spies are working for (although since this is the early 80s one could only assume it is the Soviet-Union). The movie hits a low point when one of the antagonist sees a transparent Jack Flack. Lame. Although it is quick to pick up again with the airport scene.

Dated, and questionable [u]Cloak & Dagger[/u] would only be enjoyed by children of the 80s. Perhaps young kids today might enjoy it but could be terrified of villains trying to kill kids. This is one movie that could benefit from a remake, but I hate remakes. Where's Jack Bauer when you need him?