Review of The Rescuers (1977) by Jason V — 25 Aug 2012

There's a little bit of everything in The Rescuers. There's music (a Disney staple); a little girl in danger; over the top villains; a dramatic, adult storyline; a beautiful mixture of animation and obviously painted cells; adventure; romance; and comedy.

But, for some reason, The Rescuers isn't as beloved as other Disney films. Why? I don't think it achieves Little Mermaid or Lion King greatness, and those are the types of Disney films audiences hold in high esteem.

And because of the dark story and outrageously over the top characters, parents may shy away from showing the kids this story. But is it any darker than Lion King? Probably not...though it feels dark, thanks to the setting.

There's also a certain undercurrent of the new, modern woman versus the stodgy old man stereotypes at play. The problem is The Rescuers just isn't all that memorable. An entertaining 80 minutes? Sure.

But you're not going to find a Hankunna Matata anywhere here.