The Rescuers Down Under

[theradicalchild]

Disney’s first theatrically-released animated film sequel opens with an Australian boy named Cody befriending Marahute, a rare golden eagle, after which he falls into a trap set by poacher Percival C. McLeach (George C. Scott’s final voice performance before he died in 1999), who holds him captive. An alert is sent to the Rescue Aid Society in New York City’s United Nations building, with agents Bernard and Bianca (Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor reprising their respective roles) on the case, the former’s marriage proposal interrupted as it is frequently throughout the film. Upon reaching the Land Down Under, the mice receive the help of the urbane hopping mouse Jake, unshy about doting on Bianca, to save Cody and Marahute.

Unlike the original film, the sequel doesn’t feature any noticeable musical numbers; however, the soundtrack fits the Australian setting, employing regular use of the digeridoo, and the voice performances are mostly solid. The animation is also colorful and fluid, rife with beautiful illumination effects and an early use of computer animation. The movie does have a few issues, like an apparent floating timeline that many contemporary animated shows like The Simpsons employ, given the brief view of computer technology. Regardless, I enjoyed it more than the original film, chiefly due to the setting, Jake, and that it has aged far better.