The Rescuers Down Under
Parents say
Based on 6 reviews
Kids say
Based on 10 reviews
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The Rescuers Down Under
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Rescuers Down Under is a 1990 sequel to The Rescuers. Young environmentalists will love the anti-poaching message and the animated rainforest, and the brilliant scenery and a funny albatross will interest most youngsters, but there are still some scary moments that parents should be aware of: Cody is threatened with death-by-crocodile twice and McLeach is swept over a falls (to his death). McLeach fakes the boy's death and imprisons him in an abandoned mine. Cody, his eagle friend, and her eggs spend most of the film in jeopardy. There is lots of peril. A doctor almost uses a chainsaw as a medical tool. Despite the scares there are positive messages about courage and teamwork.
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What's the Story?
THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER reprises the dynamic duo of Eva Gabor and Bob Newhart as intrepid mice Miss Bianca and Bernard and places them in the terrific natural landscape of the Australian Outback. When young Cody is kidnapped by a poacher, Bianca and Bernard hop aboard Wilbur the Albatross (voiced by John Candy) and fly off to rescue the boy. In Australia, they team up with an Aussie mouse named Jake to save Cody and stop evil poacher McLeach from selling endangered animals.
Is It Any Good?
It's a rare sequel that improves on the original, but this movie does exactly that, this time without any of those lame songs. Disney makes the brave choice of using a decidedly un-cute bird of prey as the focus of its wildlife preservation story -- Marahute is a majestic and wonderfully realistic character.
While Cody is impossibly cute and brave, it is really the animals' stories that will interest most youngsters, from the budding romance between Miss Bianca and Bernard to Wilbur's silly antics in a hospital run by mice. And not only are these stories entertaining, they also convey a strong environmental message. The only questionable aspect of The Rescuers Down Under is its failure to give anyone but Jake an Australian accent -- what was Disney thinking? That only Americans live Down Under? Nonetheless, this is a wonderful-looking cartoon that is bound to please.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Rescuers Down Under compares to the original. Which do you prefer, and why?
How does the movie show teamwork? How does it promote courage? Why are these important /character-strengths-and-life-skills/character-strengths-and-life-skills?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 15, 1990
- On DVD or streaming: August 1, 2000
- Cast: Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, John Candy
- Director: Hendel Butoy
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Adventures, Wild Animals
- Character Strengths: Courage, Teamwork
- Run time: 116 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- MPAA explanation: all audiences
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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The Rescuers
Great adventure, but too dark for preschoolers.
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Finding Nemo
Sweet father-son tale has some very scary moments.
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The Adventures of Milo and Otis
Lovable pet tale about friendship despite differences.
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The Aristocats
Jazz and hijinks make this Disney cat tale meow.
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