Product: The Rescuers Down Under [VHS] (1990)
Rating: 5.0
Just as good as the original
The Rescuers Down Under is one hour and sixteen minutes long was release in theaters one November 16, 1990. This was not a direct to video movie, but an actual movie. This was the second Disney movie not to be a musical; the first was The Black Cauldron. Granted in one scene Wilbur is dancing to the song Black Slacks playing on the radio. This was the first movie by Disney to use Computer Animation Production System and replacing drawing each scene by hand. It is thirteen years after the original was released, but it the movie it seems to take place only a few years later. The movie opens up with Cody (a young boy who looks no more then twelve) who has just rescued a giant golden eagle named Marahute. On the way back home he saves the life of a mouse caught in a trap. It is a trap within a trap. As soon as the mouse is freed Cody falls into a deep pit that sets off the alarm for a poacher named Percival C. McLeach and his pet goanna named Joanna. When McLeach arrives to see what the catch is he finds Cody in his trap. McLeach was originally going to let Cody go, but finds Cody with a golden eagle feather in his backpack. He realizes that there is a second giant golden eagle and demands that Cody takes him to it. Cody refuses to tell and McLeach takes him to his hideout. The mouse that is saved by Cody runs to get help and the message goes out to the main headquarters of the Rescue Aid Society in New York City. An emergency meeting is gathered and the Chairmouse calls upon Bernard and Bianca for the job. However, the two are not at the meeting but at a restaurant where Bernard, who is no longer a janitor but the United States representative of the Rescue Aid Society, is trying to proposed marriage to Bianca. This will be an on going gag throughout the movie. The two are summed back to headquarters where they take on the mission to rescue Cody. The two arrive at the hanger to find Orville has retired and his brother Wilbur has taken over the business. Wilbur now runs Albatross Airlines. At first Wilbur does not want to fly to Australia due to the snowstorm outside, but when he hears about the situation with Cody he changes his mind. The three arrive in Australia and are greeted by Jake, the Australia representative of the RAS. After meeting Jake, Wilbur injures his back and is taken to a hospital for treatment. Bernard, Bianca, and Jake head off to rescue Jake. Back at the hideout Cody meet some capture animals and try to set them free by getting the keys off the hook. Their attempts fail when Joanna comes in and smashes the device the captures created to get the keys. Later on Percival comes up with a plan to capture the giant golden eagle. He decides to set Cody free telling him somebody else has captured the eagle and that there is no one to care for her eggs. Cody believing this information, heads to Marahute's nest and is unaware that he is leading McLeach to the nest. At the nest Cody is met by the three rescuers at the nest. The three try to tell him that it is a trap but it is too late. Marahute is captured along with Cody, Bianca, and Jake. Bernard is left behind because he was unable to grab the rope quick enough. Joanna is lowered down on a rope to eat the three eggs but is unable to do the job so she throws the eggs off the cliff. It is later revealed that Bernard switches the eggs for rocks to protect the unborn baby eagles. Wilbur, who has recovered from his wounds, arrives at the nest. Bernard gets Wilbur to sit on the eggs to protect them and Bernard heads off to rescue the captured foursome. On his way there he gets a ride from a wild boar to get them to the group. He is able to get the keys so Bianca and Jake can free themselves. In the meantime McLeach is lowering Cody down to the river where a bunch of hungry crocodiles are waiting to eat him. When the crane gets stuck, McLeach takes out a shotgun to shoot the rope off. Bernard has Joanna chasing him and makes her run into McLeach and sending them both into the river. The rope holding Cody breaks and Cody falls into the river and Bernard dives into the water to rescue him. Just then Jake and Bianca unlock the cage and Marahute flies out along with Jake and Bianca. The three of them rescue Cody and Bernard. Percival C. McLeach is seen going over the waterfalls and it is assumed that is where he met his death. On top of Marahute, Bernard finally proposes to Bianca and she accepts. Meanwhile Wilbur is left to incubate the eggs until they hatch. Overall this was a very good movie and sequel and far better then most of the sequels that are direct to video. This was the second movie in the Disney Renaissance era and the only one not to gross one hundred million dollars or more world wide. The Rescuers Down Under gets an AAAAA+++++.DVD FEATURESCharter SelectionSet UpBonus MaterialA) The Rescuers Down Under Trivial GameB) The Rescuers Down Under DVD StorybookC) Theatrical TrailerPreview TrailersA) Buzz Lightyear of Star CommandB) The Tigger MovieC) The Little Mermaid II Return to the SeaD) Toy Story 2Play