THE ROCKETEER. Directed by Joe Johnston; written by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo; produced by Lawrence Gordon, Charles Gordon and Lloyd Levin. Starring Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin and Timothy Dalton. Rated PG.
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Saturday morning serial thrills and chills! (With much improved production values!) Plus—the whole story in one sitting! That's The Rocketeer in a nutshell. It's a family action picture that's a bit short on substance, but long on style and heart.
Of course, it helps that it's set in a very stylish place and period—southern California, 1938. Art deco nightclub sets, gorgeous clothes. Glitter where there should be glitter, and grit where there should be grit. The Rocketeer gets it all right, production design-wise.
In the matters of characterization and plot, it's not quite as on target, but it doesn't really miss by much. The principle good guys are earnest young pilot Cliff (Campbell), gorgeous aspiring actress Jenny (Connally) and kindly old tinkerer/mentor Peevy (Arkin, good as always).
Newcomer Campbell does a capable, if unspectacular, job, meeting, if not exceeding, the demands of the story. Connelly has gorgeous down pat, but is somewhat short on spunk, in spite of a script that actually lets her conk villains on the head and generally do more than just wring her hands.
Cliff accidentally comes into possession of a wonderful toy, a rocket backpack that Peevy is able to make airworthy. Pressed into action to save a pilot friend at an airshow, Cliff becomes— voila!—the Rocketeer.
More than just a toy, though, the rocket is sought by the FBI, the mob, and Dalton, who, as a swashbuckling movie idol with a heart of coal, is a marvelous villain. The Nazis also get involved, in high style, and they're always fun to boo and hiss.
There are a few scenes of violence (and the threat of violence) that might be too intense for some sensitive youngsters. And there are a couple of harmless double entendres. But for the most part The Rocketeer is good, clean fun—a combination that's pretty hard to come by these days.
July 10, 1991