Product: The Rescuers Down Under [VHS] (1990)
Rating: 4.0
Brilliant, Non-Musical Disney Animation
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.