The Rescuers Down Under

Rating:
Summary: The Rescuers Down Under on DVD highly recommended
Review: This is a full-of-fun animated movie from Disney. It marks the return of those two famous mice Bernard (Bob Newhart) and Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor) from the Rescue Aide Society first seen in THE RESCUERS (1977). This time they're called to Australia after receiving a message that an eagle and a little boy have been kidnapped by a devious poacher, McLeach (played to the hilt by George C. Scott). They make the journey to Australia on an airline, this time run by Wilbur the Albatross (John Candy). The animation is much different from the style seen in the original, but is more suited for the various flight sequences boasting the lofty grace of the eagle; not to mention McLeach's motorized cage. This film, after the success of THE LITTLE MERMAID helped restore the Disney product and animation in general to the forefront of entertainment for children as well as adults alike. The film has a message about the plight of endangered species as well. Composer, Bruce Broughton's score is dazzling and rousing. I wish Disney would reissue the entire soundtrack. Glen Keane is among the main animators. This is a very enjoyable film. Even though it is a sequel it stands very solidly on its own merits. The DVD version is beautiful and highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, Non-Musical Disney Animation
Review: THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER will satisfy viewers repeated times. Parents will appreciate the story's emphasis on loyalty to friends, courage in the face of difficulties, and acceptance of responsibility. More importantly, though, parents and children will enjoy the fully realized cast of characters through the talents of animators who effectively realize Eva Gabor, Bob Newhart, John Candy, and George C. Scott as cartoon counterparts.

Disney has also apparently reviewed its pricing and packaging policy. This DVD, at the lower "gold collection" price, includes a read-along storybook and a trivia game. Unfortunately, the "animals of the outback" booklet promised on the packaging is only a pamphlet half devoted to other Disney product. Viewers will also have to jump to the menu immediately upon inserting the dvd in order to avoid a long list of ads for other Disney material. I suppose we pay for the lower-priced packaging by watching the ads. While it would have been nice for Disney to have included a "captions in English" option so children could learn to read as they watch the movie, viewers will get to enjoy the film in its widescreen splendor and see how big a giant eagle looks without its wingspread truncated by the edge of the screen.

Still, this movie will get repeated viewings in your home, and it will deserve them. Were I rating the movie itself, I'd give it four and a half stars; its yet to be fully realized presentation lowers my rating to four stars.

Rating:
Summary: Disney's The Rescuers Down Under Kicks @$$!
Review: This is my absolute favorite animated film. I liked it even better than Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights (that's right, I actually said that!)! I didn't really care much for the first Rescuers (but I still enjoyed it), I give that one 3.5 stars. But I'd give this one 10 stars if I could!

The Rescuers Down Under was Disney's very first, theatrically released sequel, and I'll tell one thing: it makes all the other recent Disney-made sequels look like crap! Forget Return to Neverland, forget The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea, forget the Jungle Book 2, forget Stitch: The Movie, The Rescuers Down Under is the sequel that you REALLY want! I think it is Disney's best to date, or as Jake, the kangaroo mouse would say: 'Well done, mate!"

PLOT.

When a young, Australin boy named Cody who has befreinded a giant, golden eagle is kidnapped by a greedy, murderous poacher, Percival McLeach, who wants the eagle for himself to sell for a crap-load of cash, a messege is sent to the R.A.S. (Rescue Aid Society), which is a hidden organization of mice who help humans in danger. The top two R.A.S. agents, Bernard (voiced by Bob Newhart) and Bianca (Eva Gabor) are given the assignment to rescue Cody from McLeach's clutches. They fly on the wings of Wilbur, the bumbling, fumbling, chatter-boxed albatross (voiced with vest by John Candy). When they land in the outback, the mice are greeted by Jake, a cunning kangaroo mouse with amazing outback survival skills, who agrees to help them save Cody from McLeach.

COMMENTS.

What the H, E, double hockey stick made the more recent Lilo and Stitch so popular and well known anyhow? Who's idea was it to turn that into a TV series after the straight-to-video Stitch: The Movie? They did the same thing with the Little Mermaid (before the sequel, that is)! They could have just as easily made The Rescuers into a TV program, too! They could have even made Jake, the Australian kangaroo mouse a new member of the R.A.S.!!

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

I loved RDU so much I decided to buy it on DVD. There is something note about the DVD: it has clearer, more life-like animation that the somewhat foggy VHS version, compare the DVD to the VHS and believe me, you WILL see a differance! You also have a wider perspective of the surrondings, plus the sound has been upgraded. The only downside is: the DVD does not have too many extras. All you get here as extra stuff is a theatrical trailer, foriegn language and subtitle chooser, a quiz game (which is fun thing to foll around with after the movie), and some stroybook thing. I wish Disney would come out with a special Platinum edtion of this (Platinum editions are always loaded with hours of extras).

OVERALL.

On the overall score, I give the DVD itself at most 3.5 stars. Not the movie, though! The movie alone is worth the purchase! Buy this overlooked, forgotton gem, now without thinking twice! That's an order! And DON'T let the lack of good extras change your mind!

And one more thing: Did anyone else notice that McLeach's looks are based on an actuall person, George C. Scott (that's right, the very same Scott from A Christmas Carol (1984)). He is even voiced by Scott, too!

Rating:
Summary: The Rescuers Down Under Kicks Rules!
Review: This is one of my absolute favorite animated films. I liked it even better than Beavis and Butthead Do America (that's right, I actually said that!)! I really enjoyed the first Rescuers, I give that one 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars. But I'd give this one 10 stars if I could!

The Rescuers Down Under was Disney's very first, theatrically released sequel, and I'll tell one thing: it makes all the other recent Disney-made sequels look like crap! Forget Return to Neverland, forget The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea, forget the Jungle Book 2, forget Stitch: The Movie, The Rescuers Down Under is the sequel that you REALLY want! I think it is Disney's best to date, or as Jake, the kangaroo mouse would say: 'Well done, mate!"

PLOT.

When a young, Australian boy named Cody who has befreinded a giant, golden eagle is kidnapped by a greedy, murderous poacher, Percival McLeach, who wants the eagle for himself to sell for a crap-load of cash, a messege is sent to the R.A.S. (Rescue Aid Society), which is a hidden organization of mice who help humans in danger. The top two R.A.S. agents, Bernard (voiced by Bob Newhart) and Bianca (Eva Gabor) are given the assignment to rescue Cody from McLeach's clutches. They fly on the wings of Wilbur, the bumbling, fumbling, chatter-boxed albatross (voiced with vest by John Candy). When they land in the outback, the mice are greeted by Jake, a cunning kangaroo mouse with amazing outback survival skills, who agrees to help them save Cody from McLeach.

COMMENTS.

What the H, E, double hockey stick made the more recent Lilo and Stitch so popular and well known anyhow? Who's idea was it to turn that into a TV series after the straight-to-video Stitch: The Movie? They did the same thing with the Little Mermaid (before the sequel, that is)! They could have just as easily made The Rescuers into a TV program, too! They could have even made Jake, the Australian kangaroo mouse a new member of the R.A.S.!!

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

I loved RDU so much I decided to buy it on DVD. There is something note about the DVD: it has clearer, more life-like animation that the somewhat foggy VHS version, compare the DVD to the VHS and believe me, you WILL see a differance! You also have a wider perspective of the surrondings, plus the sound has been upgraded. The only downside is: the DVD does not have too many extras. All you get here as extra stuff is a theatrical trailer, foriegn language and subtitle chooser, a quiz game (which is a fun thing to fool around with after the movie), and some stroybook thing. I wish Disney would come out with a special Platinum edtion of this (Platinum editions are always loaded with hours of extras).

OVERALL.

On the overall score, I give the DVD itself at most 3.5 stars. Not the movie, though! The movie alone is worth the purchase! Buy this overlooked, forgotten gem now, without thinking twice! That's an order! And DON'T let the lack of good extras change your mind!

And one more thing: Did anyone else notice that McLeach's looks are based on an actuall person, George C. Scott (that's right, the very same Scott from A Christmas Carol (1984)). He is even voiced by Scott, too!

Rating:
Summary: I Grew Up On It, That Should Say Something...
Review: When I was a kid, this was the movie that always touched me... Along with Lady and the Tramp, Dumbo, and The Little Mermaid. I don't know why it's not more well-known. A fast-paced Disney adventure filled with characters that are nothing but lovable. Little kids nowadays are totally spoiled on all the Pixar junk. Getting back to basics like this are what Disney's all about. I wish the company could see that. I'll never remember the computer-animated crap they're going to produce now... It's stuff like this this I'll buy for my children when I grow older. An enchanting story of two adventurous mice out to help children, this one has them traveling to Australia to rescue a little boy and several creatures being trapped by an evil poacher. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out... Go get it, now!

Rating:
Summary: The mice get help from a roo.
Review: This sequel is almost as good as the original Rescuers. Our Hero hop the albatross, this time played by John Candy, for a trip to Australia. What is funny is mice trying to rescue a baby in an eagle nest. Eagles eat what? Newhart and Gabor are perfect playing off each other for some funny moments that help hold mom and dads interest. There is enough action to hold entertain the children. We also get a bit of a love triangle as Bernard gets jealous of Jake, the kangaroo.

We ranked this 19 out of 41. This movie was watched often by all of the family and is definitely recommended, especially if you already have the 18 movies that we liked even better.
We had a lot of fun by gathering the family together to rank the 41 Disney movies we have that include some cartoon work. All the kids, ages 6 to 27, participated along with mother and dad. Lion King was selected number 1 of the 41 as the family favorite, but narrowly. Peter Pan was 2. Pete's Dragon 3, Beauty & the beast 4, Sleeping Beauty 5, Snow White 6, Robin Hood 7, 101 Dalmatians 8, Fox and the hound 9, Cinderella is 10th, Rescuers 11, Hunchback of ND 12, Aladdin 13, Aladdin King of Thieves 14, Jungle Book 15, Little Mermaid 16, Hercules 17 and Winnie the Pooh 18.

Rating:
Summary: Bernard and Miss Bianca Do It Again!
Review: In Disney's "The Rescuers Down Under," Rescue Aid Society mice Bernard and Miss Bianca travel to Australia to help Mara Houte, the golden eagle. With the assistance of Wilbur, an albatross, and numerous other friends encountered along the way (such as a wise-cracking kangaroo rat), they hurry to help the endangered bird. Voice talents of Bob Newhart (Bernard), Eva Gabor (Miss Bianca) and John Candy (Wilbur) move the story along at a good pace. George C. Scott provides voice for the villain, a bounty hunter of endangered animals. Scott's sidekick is a goanna lizard called Joana - and there is some fascinating interplay between the lizard and the man. A sidebar plot is Bernard's plan to propose marriage to Miss Bianca ... and all of the things that conspire to get in the way. This is a nice movie for the entire family, and one with a good message. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: The animation is far better than the original.
Review: In the sequel to the Rescuers the animation is far better than the original film. This is a perfect example that sequels can be just as good as the originals. The voice casting is back, but this time John Candy comes along, and makes the film even more enjoyable. George C. Scott is a really good villainous character once again. The location is more outrageous and exotic and far more exciting. One of Disney best adventure films. A good reccomendation.

Rating:
Summary: I didn't make it all the way through 3rd grade for nothing!
Review: The line above is spoken with delicious and wicked glee by George C. Scott as the film's villain "McLeach", one of the outstanding vocal contributions to this under-appreciated 1990 release. Eva Gabor and Bob Newhart reprise their respective roles of "Miss Bianca" and "Bernard" from the first "Rescuers" film and are joined by John Candy as an aeronautically challenged albatross. Other winning performances are Frank Welker as a McLeach's loony sidekick "Joanna" and a lizard "Frank", voiced respectively by Frank Welker and Wayne Robson. Young Adam Ryen is the voice of the child hero, "Cody".

This lighthearted adventure takes place in the Australian outback and the animators have taken great care in depicting its combination of breathtaking beauty and harsh desert areas.

There are some "tense" moments but they are few and far between, not too intense to frighten small viewers.

Bruce Broughton's score is dynamic and ranks as one of the best for a Disney animated film.

"The Rescuers Down Under" may not go down as one of the Disney Studios classic films, but it is still a well-made production and worthy of addition to a family's film library.

Rating:
Summary: It deserves 3.5 stars. An instant classic.
Review: Disney made it's first great sequel to be released to theaters. It's a breath-taking adventure about a boy named Cody who lives in Australia, and gets kidnapped by a poacher and he needs to escape. These hero mice try to save him. This film is in Australia. That's the place where the dentist lives. (The one who took Nemo) If you like Finding Nemo, Toy Story 1 & 2, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Bambi, Pocohontas, The Lion King and a lot of great Disney animated features including the original "The Rescuers", then you'll love this one! I would highly recommend it for ages 4 to 84.