Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-17 04:52:49

Bought It For The Story

This review is from: The Rocketeer (DVD) Granted, the video display leaves much to be desired. But I've seen a lot worse. With that said, I purchased the flick for the story alone. It's a modern day 'recollection' of the old and long gone home town movie theaters that would show 15 minute cliffhangers like Captain Marvel before the featured selection. Despite the framed and chopped mini-screen, the movie is worth a watch...especially for us old wheezer geezers who want to step back in time to remember From Whence We Came -- but this time in color.

2012-05-16 16:45:02

Fantastic!

"The Rocketeer" is one of my favourite films because it packs adventure, romance, history AND comedy, and does so masterfully. The plot is not one that would draw me in if simply written on paper, but it is so interesting and funny as a film. I especially enjoyed Timothy Dalton's role as an undercover Nazi (this is set in the 1930's) living in California as a famous movie star! It's a great film for all ages and all interests--it keeps you rooting for the good guys!

2012-05-16 00:20:14

a blast from the past

This movie is one of my favorite movies. I have fond memories of my brother and I watching this movie over and over, and every time wishing we could fly like the rocketeer. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who's ever loved an adventure story set high in the skies. Plus, Jennifer Connelly and Billy Campbell are wonderful fun.

disdressed12 2012-05-15 04:54:46

should be rated at least PG-13

the rating on this movie is 6/10 on this site.but it's not as good as ihad expected or hoped.that rating is about 2 stars too high for me.forone thing,i found it too insubstantial,with a pretty weak story.thepotential was there,but it just wasn't realized.there also existed thepossibility of some humour in the movie,but that doesn't really developeither.it's also slow,with only intermittent scenes of action.there'salmost no character development.as a matter of a fact,there were a fewcharacters that had almost nothing to do.this movie runs about 104minutes without end credits,but i had to stop it,to break up themonotony.the American and Canadian rating on this movie is PG,but ithink it should be at least PG-13.i think it's a bit too intense forany under 13,but that's just me.nevertheless,parents should use theirdiscretion.my vote for The Rocketeer is a 4/10

samkay1 2012-05-12 13:42:32

Watchable, but too soft for a hero flick

If it doesn't do anything else, at least The Rocketeer will make the1981 fantasy Dragonslayer sound more interesting or promising when Itell you that it proves not everything which comes out of Disney'spocket is dumbed down, amateurish or child friendly. The Rocketeerunfortunately is.It suffers from a fairly bad case of the gimmick syndrome. There is areason why its box office success was middling. People twenty years ago(just as they do today) wanna see more inventive material, like T2 orJurassic Park. Films like the Rocketeer with their, cliché story linesand poor special effects don't seem to cut it. I won't say the film iswithout merit. It is definitely watchable, but it is more cute than itis exciting. For a superhero movie, that isn't so good.I suppose it would be easier to identify with the Rockeeter than itwould be with say Batman, Superman, Iron Man and the rest of the gang.What we have here is not someone who gets bit by a radioactive animalor born in a Kryptonite world, or anything else that feelsextraordinary or make-believe. The Rocketer feels muchmore....umm....ordinary. What would you do if you found and attemptedto use a secret prototype military jet pack, only to get yourself mixedup with bad people and subsequently putting your loved ones injeopardy. In the end, The Rocketeer has its charms and an occasionallyself-mocking sense of humour, but it is only worth watching if youcatch it on TV and nothing else is on. If anything, it may make a goodfamily movie.

TheLittleSongbird 2012-05-12 00:15:18

Very enjoyable and entertaining

I really enjoyed the Rocketeer. No it isn't perfect, there isn't muchof a story at times, and there parts of the narrative that felt alittle illogical. However, there is much to enjoy, in an overallenjoyable film. It is lovingly designed, with lovely costumes andsplendid set pieces. The screenplay is compelling and quite intricatelycrafted, and the direction is solid. The acting is very good too. BillCampbell particularly is very likable in the lead role, with his boyishcharm and his charisma. While both Alan Arkin and Pierce Brosnan havegiven better performances, they still managed to give something to theproceedings. And we also have Jennifer Conelly at her loveliest, andshe is a lovely actress. The music is outstanding, very dramatic and apleasant listen. Overall, the Rocketeer is very good fun, not perfect,but a nice diversion for two hours. 8/10 Bethany Cox

2012-05-09 02:49:00

Great Movie

This review is from: The Rocketeer (DVD) This movie is great - I wish a sequel had been made, as was originally planned. It would have been nice if the DVD had been anamorphic, but otherwise it is a great product.

2012-05-08 08:30:27

Two beautiful people

This movie has two of the most beautiful people to ever grace the screen: Jennifer Connelly and Billy Campbell. Forget the story, forget the Nazis, forget the characterizations, this movie is about the beauty of the leads. It's an okay movie, it's fun and the score is great but gosh those two.

2012-05-06 23:25:07

"The Rock-a-who?"

"The Rocketeer" is a wonderfully nostalgic gem of a movie that giddily embodies the spirit of Old-Hollywood adventure. Unfortunately, its charms were completely lost on this jaded generation. It wasn't a big box office success and thus squashed the producer's hopes of turning "The Rocketeer" into an ongoing series, something that I will forever be upset by.Set in 1934 Los Angeles, director Joe Johnston ("Jumanji", "Jurassic Park III", "Hidalgo") has created a truly flawless, old-fashioned adventure. Our hero is Cliff Secord (Bill Campbell), a flying ace who comes into possession of a stolen rocket pack designed by Howard Hughes (Terry O'Quinn). They don't know where it came from, but they soon find out that both the feds and the mob are looking for it and are willing to kill for it. While they decide what they are going to do with it, Cliff is forced to use it to rescue a pilot in trouble during an airshow. He straps on the jetpack and a helmet designed by his friend Peevy (Alan Arkin) which not only protects him, but serves as a handy superhero-identity-concealer.Cliff barely manages to rescue the pilot, while hundreds of awe-struck spectators cheer him on. He quickly makes headlines, and tinsel town is aquiver with rumors of "The Rocketeer". Everyone knows about him, except for his girlfriend Jenny (Jennifer Connelly). When he tells her "I have a secret. I'm the Rocketeer!" she confusedly responds "The Rock-a-who?"The main villain who wants to get his hands on the rocket is handsome, charismatic film star Neville Sinclair (Timothy Dalton), an obvious parody of Errol Flynn. This parody of Flynn and the film's ability to tie together many aspects of 1930's-40's pop-culture is its greatest strength. Drawing heavily on Hollywood icons, then-contemporary world events, and on aviation history, you'll find yourself completely immersed in this 1930's world and wishing you could've lived then.

MrETrain 2012-05-06 11:11:34

If you take it for what it is, it's a blast

I personally enjoy very much period adventures such as this that try torecapture the fun and innocence and pulse-pounding action of the old 30'sand 40's serials. "The Rocketeer" makes a better stab than most. Itreallyis a lot of fun. I especially liked Alan Arkin, who was perfectly cast.Jennifer Connelly is gorgeous, perfectly capturing the 40's look, the timewhen it seemed that all women were beautiful. I did notice Melora Hardinina small role as the singer in the South Seas Club. I've had a small crushon her since she was on the 70's Saturday morning kids' show, "Thunder,theSuper Horse". I figure she tried out for Connelly's role but didn't getit.She would have been great in the lead female role though.

2012-05-05 15:13:31

Great movie

Really enjoy this movie, reminds me of some of the old serial movies. The DVD in widescreen is very good , just wish they would have used 5.1 sound.The surrounds effects would have been much better. Did not see any deleted scenes as opposed to VHS version, as one earlier reviewer had noted.This is a good movie to just sit back relax and enjoy . Good family movie with no offensive language.

2012-05-04 23:55:24

A True Disney Classic from the Company's Finest Era

Cliff Secord is a struggling pilot who finds himself without a plane one day when he gets caught up in a car chase between mobsters and federal agents. What he finds later, however, changes his life! Cliff discovers a top secret, stolen rocket pack the mobsters hid to reclaim later, and with a helmet created by his mechanic and best friend, Peevy, Cliff becomes 1930's superhero "The Rocketeer". The series of adventurous exploits that follow are largely due to the missing rocket pack in question, as it is the key to one Nazi spy's secret plan to help the bad guys rule the world!Though, for whatever reason (perhaps not enough public awareness of the comic book character), "The Rocketeer" was a flop in theaters despite critical praise, audiences eventually came to their senses and gave the film a much deserved cult status. Disney's 1991 film "The Rocketeer" was a truly wonderful movie from probably the greatest period at the Walt Disney Company. Based on a comic book by Dave Stevens that is, believe it or not, from 1982, not 1938 when the story is set, "The Rocketeer" captures a classic feel with a spot on cast and is a shining example of Disney at its peak. Timothy Dalton is a fantastic, suave villain and Bill Campbell and Jennifer Connelly (looking stunning here as her Bettie Page inspired character) are perfectly cast as the sweet, young, heroic couple that the film is centered on. Full of great effects and a fun and exciting, solid story, this is one that should be in every movie fan's collection. Here's hoping that when it gets to Blu-Ray Disney will provide us with some real bonus features. At least this version is in widescreen and has a theatrical trailer though. Some Disney releases don't give us that much.If you enjoyed this review, be sure to watch my video review show on YouTube, The Moonlight Movie Show!

2012-05-01 21:49:31

Great fun for aviation fans, adventure film fans, and nostalgia buffs alike

This is a very enjoyable film in which everything, from the acting, to the music, to the costumes, is just right. It depicts an earlier, friendlier Los Angeles and makes one want to get into a time machine and go back.To an aviation nut such as myself, it is heaven, perfectly capturing the excitement of the golden age of aviation. The music fits the action so well. In fact, there is a performer on the air show circuit who does old time aerobatics and uses the the theme music from Rocketeer as his performance music. Most excellent! The joy and fun of this film carries beyond the actual watching of the film. I wish there were more movies like it.

2012-05-01 10:06:02

Great movie, terrible transfer

This movie is clearly a five star film. It's exciting, fun, adventurous and great for kids, but also for adults! The photography is great, sets and costumes are authentic, and the acting is first rate. HOWEVER, this has got to be the worst DVD transfer I have ever seen. It looks to me like they took a widescreen 72 mm print and projected it on a screen, then rephotographed it on 35 mm... no kidding. Nearly every letterbox film I have goes from one side of my flat panel monitor to the other. This one is well within all 4 sides of my monitor... and the color is milky and faded and there is a grainy character to the picture. The sound is clearly stereophonic and wonderful... so why Disney can put out an amateur transfer like this is beyond me. Having said that, the film is not expensive and I still recommend it.... but Disney needs to re-release a clear transfer of this wonderful film. I will be worried about the quality of future Disney and Miramax films on DVD if this is how they are going to be released.

2012-04-30 09:29:31

Rocketeer- my favourite film

This review is from: The Rocketeer (DVD) The story of an unfortunate pilot who loses his prize racing plane when the FBI chase a crook across his airfield. Later he discovers what he was running away with- a rocket pack belonging to Howard Hughes! The billionaire is about to shelve the project due to shortcomings in its design, but our pilot modifies it to compensate for the problem. After that he becomes the Rocketeer when he uses it to save a man from certain death at the air show. Everybody wants to know who he is, but nobody seems to have a clue until...

2012-04-29 20:25:02

one of my favorite movies

This is NOT a modern movie, it is a movie that is what the old adventure serials would have liked to have been. The cast is uniformly excellent, but you have to think back to "The Red Skull" serial to understand what they are doing. There is no winking at the camera as in the Indiana Jones movies (which I also like very much) -- this is straight, square-jawed Boy Scout hero fights sneaky villians, with the help of beautiful, plucky girlfriend and mechanical genius sidekick/father-figure. It is an excellent family movie.The movie has some nice movie-buff jokes, which I enjoyed (the character from "The Pearl of Death" was a lot of fun), and loving attention is paid by the set-designers to details of the thirties in Southern California (as far as I can tell from old photos and talking to natives of the area) and to the aviation industry of the time (according to my father, who was and is a buff starting during that period). In any event the movie looks great and feels "authentic". I don't understand why this movie was such a flop -- I can see that it wasn't going to make the imact of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", but it should have done well enough to rate a sequel. However, the movie trailer on the DVD convinced me that the marketing people at Disney failed to advertise the movie correctly, and I certainly remember being surprised (although pleasantly) when I saw it in a theater.

Robert J. Maxwell 2012-04-29 08:44:03

Pretty enjoyable

There's more fun to be had out of this movie than I'd expected. Thestory is given elsewhere so I'll pretty much skip it and get to themore important things, like the twenty-year-old Jennifer Connelly.She's a bit plumper (all over) than we're used to seeing her but it'sokay because cartoon figures ought to be slightly overdone. She looksand sounds magnificent -- those over-sized nacreous incisors, I guess.She could open mangoes with those teeth. Not that she's as beautiful asany woman possibly could be. Connelly COULD be better looking but ifshe were it would probably be against some law.Bill Campbell looks like a cartoon too. In fact everyone in the movielooks like a cartoon except the guy playing the huge thug working forPaul Sorvino. That guy doesn't look like a cartoon. He looks exactlylike Rondo Hatten, an acromegalic actor from a few 40s horror flicks.But, it must be admitted, Rondo Hatten looked like a cartoon. And,well, if A = B and B = C, then A = C, no? It's a conundrum alright.The movie is filled with delicious 1938 atmosphere. I wasn't around toenjoy it but it's always struck a resonant chord in me when I glimpseit in movies or listen to recordings from the period. Here we have anArtie Shaw sort of band playing "Begin the Beguine" with a closesimulation of that famous arrangement that made it such a hit. Asmiling singer who looks like Nicole Kidman stands on the stage andsings without rolling around or smashing a guitar. Call me retro, but Iprefer it to Snoop Dog Eeeze 2 Dudes. All seriousness aside, whathappened to pop music anyway? Where are our Cole Porters and IraGershwins. Somebody hand me a hankie.I enjoyed the airplanes too. The one in the beginning of the movie wasbuilt exclusively for racing. (I forget its designation.) It was ahorror to fly because it was hardly more than a huge engine with a tinyairplane built around it, as unstable a craft as ever took wing. Scarynews footage exists of one of them zipping along at a tremendous rateand then, out of nowhere, kaboom, spinning deliriously into the groundat full speed. The 1930s were famous for their air races, like NASCARis today. Heroes were made out of aviators. Airplanes that later becamefamous as fighters in WWII were first configured as racers -- CurtisP-40s, for instance, and the British Spitfires.Of course it's an imitation of the Indiana Jones series and maybe animitation of some Indiana Jones imitations, a kind of meta-imitation,but, gee, it's enjoyable. What atmosphere. And lots of action.Everybody and everything is turned into mincemeat one way or anotherbut not in any way that's offensive. It's really kind of engaging if you don't ask for significance.

charlesskywalk 2012-04-28 19:05:10

Great movie from a old comic book

I love the movie how it took place in hollywood and how twomenfind a Rocket also the Nazi are geeting it. The movie hadgreatacting like Billy Campbell did a good job but more I love themovienow is Jennifer Connelly who is so Beautiful and she lookmoreBeautiful in that white dress she had make a great job inthemovie also other like Timothy Dalton and Alan Arkin. I willsoonget the movie on DVD but for now we had this great Disney.7.8 of 10

2012-04-22 20:15:44

Great not-to-be-missed movie!

This review is from: The Rocketeer: 20th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray) Back in the day we were treated to movies like this every weekend at `Saturday Morning Pictures' - Dashing heroes, gorgeous damsels in distress, scenery-chewing baddies and lots of exciting stunts. Twenty years ago Joe Johnston invigorated the template with this wonderful (and tragically underrated) movie. The thrilling plot is supported by one of the industries finest scores (James Horner), extraordinary art deco sets and a fine cast. Forget the reviews below complaining about poor DVD quality. At last, Disney has provided the blu-ray print we all craved - great colour, sharp as a razor and fabulous sound. Thank you! Now how about that sequel?!

Movie Nuttball 2012-04-22 15:14:06

A good movie!

This film is great! Great acting from Timothy Dalton! Good action andmusicby James Horner. Jennifer Connelly looked fine! Alan Arkin and PaulSorvinowas good and Bill Campbell was a good pick to play the titled hero. TinyRonwas excellent as Lothar! If you like old time action and Timothy Daltonthensee this good film today!