Rating: 
Summary: An overlooked gem
Review: You hear a lot of talk about this film being Disney's first sequal, but don't let that freak you out if you've never seen the original Rescuers film. There's really no need to have seen The Rescuers to appreciate The Rescuers Down Under. The only thing these films share are the two main characters (Binard and Bianca) and the plot point of saving a child in jeopardy. Where the original was a touchy-feely story of abandonment, this film takcles the very different issue of wildlife preservation. I find this to be a far better film than The Rescuers (although I loved it as a child and still hold a special place for it in my heart), and a welcome change of pace from the usual Disney fare. This was the first film to use Disney's new CAPS system of filming animation and the results are truly stunning. Bright vivid colors, the blending of shades into one another, sharp crips lines, and subtle computer animation are the hallmarks of the "new" Disney and it all began with this film. The opening of the film is a great example of what the system can do and remains one of the most thrilling openings to any Disney film. More breathtaking scenes, like the flight with Marahute, further attest to the technical achievement of the film. Story wise this film gives us Disney's most realistic depiction of childhood to date (B.A. before Andy from Toy Story, but he's really a PIXAR creation anyway), in the protagonist Cody. He's strong willed, bright, has a sense of adventure and never seems overly cute. He's just a boy who wants to stop the evil McLeach from killing the last of the great golden eagles, and his friend Marahute. The relationship between Bianca and Benard is expanded upon, but again you don't need to know their history from The Rescuers to understand what's happening. Some very fun and comic characters are indtroduced (notably, Frank the wacky lizzard) to offset one of the meanist villans ever, the poacher, Percival McLeach. He's drawn in a realistic way that exaggerates his feaures just enough to give him a very menacing look. Believe me, when he yells at Cody you will recoil in fear! With all this high praise you might be wondering why this isn't a more widely known film. Well it had the distinction of follwing The Little Mermaid which sent Disney in the direction of Broadway-styled musicals. I haven't mentioned music for The Rescuers Down Under because there isn't any. Although the score is fantastic (and a hotly sought after collectors item), there isn't one song in the film. It got lost under all the hoopla about Disney's new style. People were looking for more of the same from Disney and soon they would get it. Rating the DVD itself, I'd give it a 5 for picture and sound, but only a 3 for bonus features. Disney has relesed a few DVD's with outstanding bonus', however this isn't one of them. All you get is a trivia game that will be really easy to answer once you've seen the film and a mode that tells the story in words or has a voice over read it to you. But don't let that discourage you from getting this DVD. Now that some time has passed and most of us are looking for someting fresh from Disney, take a look at this overlooked gem. You'll be overwhelmed by it's adventure, granduer, beauty, and most importantly, fun.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: This was absolutly amazing. I was 4 when this came out and I vfell in love with it, I saw it before I saw the orignal (which, instead of waiting until 1997 to release it on video, the rush released in in 1992)but it doesn't make a difference. I admire the graphics very much, unlike more recent Disney movies where there is just one huge grand computer designed scene, there are many little ones in this. One of which starts as soon as the movie begins during the begining credits. It pans a wonderful view of flowers and leads up to Codey's house right next to Ayers Rock. Then in every glide-down scene where Wilber swoops downward, it is anothweer computer scene. Besides the affects, the story is amazing as well. Truley a work of art. I think it is uch better than the origanal, a must have!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best and most underrated of the Disney movies
Review: "The Rescuers Down Under" has been one of my favorite Disney animated movies ever since I was a kid and it first came out on video, and it always will be one of my favorites. A young boy named Cody rescues a huge golden eagle and they instantly become friends. However, Cody stumbles onto the grounds of a poacher, McLeach, who wants to find the golden eagle so he can get rich. Cody won't tell McLeach where the golden eagle is, so McLeach holds the boy as a hostage. Word gets out among the mice that a boy has been kidnapped, and it's up to two famous rescuers, Bernard and Miss Bianca, to travel to Australia and rescue Cody. "The Rescuers Down Under" is one of the best Disney movies ever made in my opinion. But for some reason it hasn't ever got the credit it deserves. But no matter how underrated it is, it's still one of the best ever made. For the time, "The Rescuers Down Under" had some good visuals and effects. All the characters in the movie are intersting from the adventurous Bernard and Miss Bianca, the hilarious Wilbur the albatross whose voice is done by John Candy, and even the fearsome enemies, McLeach and his pet salamander. I recommend "The Rescuers Down Under" to anybody who likes animated or Disney movies. It's especially good for kids because they will grow up watching it and they'll probably remember it the rest of their life as one of their favorites.
Rating:
Summary: One of the BEST movies ever out on video!
Review: The "Rescuers Down Under" is a fabulous movie full of adventure, friendship, and a tad bit of romance to make the story complete. Cody, a young boy who lives in Austrailia, helps free Marahutay, a great golden eagle, from an illegal poacher's trap. After freeing her, he finds a small mouse also caught, but then relizes that he has fallen into a poacher's trap himself. McLeach, an illegal poacher finds Cody and learns his secret. Then Mcleach kidnapps Cody and forces him to tell him where Marahutay is. A help message is soon sent out to Miss Bianca and Bernard(the 2 mice from the "Rescuers")in New York City. Finally, they set out to the "land down under" to begin a treaterous journey to save Cody's life.
Rating:
Summary: One Of The BEST Films Of The Decade!
Review: "The Recuers Down Under" beats it's original by a long shot! I love every minute of this AMAZING film! I got it for my birthday (Which was in early august) and we still watch it almost every night! The animation is PHENOMENAL! The backround music is PHENOMENAL! The entire movie is PHENOMENAL! My three faveorite parts are: The Begining: It has a 3D feel. It feels as if we were running through Austraila! And wait till you see that eagle! The part when Frank is free from his cage: Frank is a funny and hyper lizard! He is my faveorite character! The Climax: It ALWAYS has me on the edge of my seat!
Rating:
Summary: Fly Like an Eagle...literally!
Review: This movie has a wonderful message about friendship and how precious every life is, be it human or animal. The film has everything going for it; great animation, wonderful background music, and a story that combines humor and high drama. The story is about how an Australian boy named Cody comes to the aid of a beautiful eagle, that was illegally trapped by a poacher named McLeach (George C. Scott), only to find himself later kidnapped by McLeach. Woodland creatures send for help via an elaborate telegraph to a couple of UN delegate mice, named Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor) and Bernard (Bob Newhart) in NYC. Bianca and Bernard enlist the services of a hilarious albatross named Wilbur (John Candy) and set off across the atlantic to...well, rescue Cody. The story even has a little romance between Miss Bianca and Bernard thrown in for good measure. The highlight of the film for me actually comes early. After Cody releases the eagle from the trap, he nearly falls to his death only to be swooped up and taken for the ride of his life by the grateful eagle. Believe me, everytime I view this sequence I get teary eyed. A beautiful film, one of Disney's best!
Rating:
Summary: I wish Disney made more films like this.
Review: This is the best annimation Disney has done since their glorious beginning. Films like Pinnochio, and Sleeping Beauty were excellent due to the wonderfull craftsmanship and storytelling. In the 60's though, the craftsmanship faultered a bit with the advent of a faster xerox process of transfering pencils to the annimation cell. This can best be seen in movies like the Arristocats. The backgrounds too, were far less detailed than ever before. The first Rescuers (1977) movie was an example of that lul in artistry. The Rescuers Down Under is a triumphant return to the magic that made Disney a household name. Here you will see some of the most challenging annimation to date, and the work is flawless. The characters are excellent, the story is meaningfull and the work of the late greats George C. Scott and John Candy tie it all together. This is in my top 5 movies of all time.
Rating:
Summary: The Disney Movie I would watch over and over!
Review: This film is really quite good, not just as a cartoon but as a movie. The ecological message is very strong, but the character's are quite amusing at the same time. Great voices from John Candy, Bob Newhart, Tristan Rogers, and especially George C. Scott. As far as bad guys go, McLeach (George C. Scott) is as bad as it gets! The character is as mean, greedy, and otherwise nasty as one could hope for in a villain. The animation sequence with Cody riding the Eagle is just awesome. The computer animation in this one is great. One note.... in some movie guide (either Maltin or Ebert) it was stated to watch out for the dark-skinned features of McLeach as some sort of denegration of dark-skinned people... This statement is just absurd! The McLeach character looks and sounds like George C. Scott! This is a wonderful film with a positive message about the environment, helping others, and gaining self-confidence. I think you'll love it! I have high hopes for the DVD edition!
Rating: 
Summary: A Disney favorite -- Hopefully released in widescreen!
Review: A favorite Disney film -- excellent adventure, strong characters, beautiful art work and a great background score. It's listed as widescreen -- let's hope Disney releases it that way!
Rating: 
Summary: Rubbish
Review: What rubbish. Way too much violence. Why do kids movies have to be so violent these days? (or when it was made). Had a few laughs (I'm an ex-pat Australian) but not worth the plastic it was made from. Certainly not recommended for general viewing as the cover shows.
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