Subject: RETROSPECTIVE: THE ROCKETEER (1991)

From: [email-masked] (Chuck Dowling)
Date: 5 Aug 1996 20:50:32 GMT

THE ROCKETEER
                       A film review by Chuck Dowling
                        Copyright 1996 Chuck Dowling

(1991) ****1/2 - C:Alan Arkin, Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Timothy
Dalton, Paul Sorvino, Terry O'Quinn.

Parents who complain about the lack of quality family movies each year
should all be slapped. Every year, Hollywood gives them one or two films
with exactly what they ask for, and then they don't go! "The Rocketeer" is a
perfect example. It's a great film for the whole family and yet it bombed at
the box office.

The story takes place in the 1940's. Campbell stars as a pilot who stumbles
across a single person jet pack built by Howard Hughes (O'Quinn). The
government wants to get their hands on it to use it against the Nazis, and
the Nazis want the jet pack to use against the world. Campbell's best friend
Peevy (Arkin) constructs a helmet with a rudder on it and Campbell
reluctantly tests the jet pack to save a friend in need at an air show. The
papers, on hand for the show, all witness a flying man and name him The
Rocketeer. Campbell's girlfriend (the gorgeous Jennifer Connelly) is later
kidnapped by an Errol Flynn-type actor (Dalton) who happens to be a nazi spy
and also wants the jet pack.

The film has a great cast, especially Alan Arkin, who has yet to give a bad
performance on film. My only reason for not giving the film a perfect rating
is because one of the thugs in the film is this big mutant thing which looks
like a leftover from the cast of Warren Beatty's "Dick Tracy". That's just
too silly to overlook. "The Rocketeer" has a rousing musical score and
overall, it's just a simple, fun, entertaining family movie.

Have A Question Or Comment? Email Me At [email-masked]

-- 
Chuck Dowling
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