Product: The Rescuers Down Under [VHS] (1990)
Rating: 4.0
The best of Disney's recent animated adventures
Though not as well known as other recent Disney features, this animated sequel (the first in Disney history) has much to recommend it -- excellent computer-aided animation, unusually fluid camera movement, a clever script, and a rousing musical score by Bruce Broughton.Sadly, it doesn't have memorable or engaging characters. The large cast of Australian animals never gets enough screen time to make an impression. But to be fair, the two stars of the original _Rescuers_, Bernard and Bianca, fare no better; they don't even appear until twenty minutes into the film, and then have only a few scenes together. The voice talents of Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor, whose easygoing chemistry and comic aplomb made the first film a pleasant romp, are utterly wasted here.Still, this sequel was never meant to be character-driven. In this respect and many others, it's a departure from what audiences have come to expect from a Disney cartoon. There are no songs, not much dancing, and surprisingly little comic relief. Instead, this cartoon is a straightforward, unpretentious action-adventure, guaranteed to satisfy a family audience.