Product: The Rescuers Down Under [VHS] (1990)
Rating: 5.0
An overlooked gem
You hear a lot 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 tackles 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 form 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, blending and shading, sharp crisp lines, and subtle use of computer animation are the hallmarks of the "new" Disney and it all began with this film. The opening sequence 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 flights with Marahute, futher attest to the technological 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 save his friend, the last golden eagle Marahute, from the evil poacher. Some very fun and comic characters are introduced (notably Frank the lizzard) to offset one of the meanist villans ever, Percival McLeach. He's drawn in a realistic way that exaggerates his features 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 unfortunate distinction of following The Little Mermaid, which sent the studio in the direction of Broadway-styled musicals. I haven't mentioned music for the film because there isn't any. Althought the score is fantastic (and a hotly sought after collectors item), there isn't one song in the entire film. Simply put, 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 material. Disney has released 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 win after you see the film and a mode that tells you the story in words or has a voice over read it to you. But don't let the meager bonus material stop you from getting this DVD. Now that time has passed and most of us are looking for something new from Disney, take a look at this overlooked gem. You'll be overwhelmed by it's adventure, granduer, beauty and most importantly, fun.