Solarbabies

Solarbabies
Theatrical poster by John Alvin
Directed byAlan Johnson
Written byWalon Green
Douglas Anthony Metrov
Produced byJack Frost Sanders
Irene Walzer
Starring
CinematographyPeter MacDonald
Edited byConrad Buff
Music byMaurice Jarre
Production
companies
Distributed byMGM Entertainment Co.
Release date
  • November 26, 1986 (1986-11-26) (U.S.)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$23 million
Box office$1.5 million

Solarbabies (also known as Solarwarriors and Solarfighters) is a 1986 American science fiction film, made by Brooksfilms and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was the second and final film directed by Alan Johnson, who is better known for his work as a choreographer.

Solarbabies was released theatrically on November 26, 1986. The film was widely panned by critics as a nonsensical, derivative sci-fi mess, criticized for its silly dialogue, poor acting, blatant rip-offs from Blade Runner and Mad Max, and a nonsensical plot involving roller-skating kids, a magical glowing orb, and a lame villain, though some found it enjoyable as "80s cheese" due to its unintentional humor and nostalgic value. It bombed theatrically but became a cult favorite on video/cable, with some reviewers noting its production values (like music and design) and the careers it launched for stars like Jami Gertz and Jason Patric.