The Rescuers Down Under

The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

Runtime: 77 minutes

Directed by: Several animators

Starring the voices of: Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, George C. Scott, Adam Ryen, John Candy

From: Disney

The movie isn’t a shrimp on the barbie but it was still fine. As I viewed The Rescuers on Saturday, it only made sense for me to then view its sequel the following night? It was different from the original, not always for the better. The animation was an improvement-it was filmed digitally-and used CG at times, from none other than Pixar.

Overall, I wasn’t as charmed by the sequel. Besides it taking awhile before we get to see Bernard & Bianca, lead boy Cody isn’t as enjoyable as Penny was in ’77 and there is quite a bit more humor here, some of which landed like… an albatross. At least it was nice to hear John Candy voice Wilbur the Albatross, brother to the first film’s Orville. Furthermore, Jake the kangaroo rat was an amusing Aussie. That said, George C. Scott as the putrid poacher (we see animals being held in captivity) with his bumbling hench-lizard Joanna was the aspect which will linger w/ me the longest.

Despite its flaws, there were no regrets in devoting 77 minutes to this sequel. The general idea was compelling: Cody encounters a golden eagle & befriends it. The evil poacher McLeach (whose resemblance to Scott in Dr. Strangelove was no coincidence) captures Cody so he’ll be able to capture the rare avian critter for money. I was reasonably entertained even if the OG movie is preferable to me. The film doesn’t let you forget its Outback setting; it only takes like two minutes before a didgeridoo is heard, to list one of many examples. Not only was this filmed digitally for the first time-that made the animators’ job much easier-CG was used occasionally… from Pixar, no kidding.

The original movie did quite well on first release and in re-release; that’s why this of all films was chosen by Disney for a sequel. What misfortune then the cinema screens received this the same as… Home Alone. They had no idea beforehand but their fate was sealed there & it did not set the box office on fire.