Parents' Guide to

The Rocketeer

By Ellen MacKay, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

More style than substance -- but fun, if gun-heavy, action.

Movie PG 1991 108 minutes
The Rocketeer Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Laa007
Laa007 Parent of 9 and 13-year-old
January 1, 2021
age 11+

Should be PG-13

It’s a great movie and my kids (9 and 13) love it. They’ve seen it twice. I watched it with them this time and vaguely remembered some brutal death scenes where I made the 9 year olds close their eyes. It has some bad words, a lot of violence and is really scary. I should have waited to show them this and absolutely think it should have a PG-13 rating.

This title has:

Too much violence
Kathyebailey
Kathyebailey Parent of 8, 9 and 10-year-old
April 11, 2018
age 12+

Violent and scary for Littles

My eight year old son was horrified at the violence. We watch a lot of g and pg films, I don’t expose my kids to a lot of violence, and I was pretty taken aback that a pg Disney film had so many murders. One in particular had a man “folded in half” and was lying there dead with his eyes open. This really scared my little guy. My other kids were ok with it, but they’re older and more emotionally mature. There was a good bit of swearing, and several instances of Gods name taken in vain. And there was a seduction scene in which nothing actually happened, but I was uncomfortable with it with my kids there. We did enjoy the film, but I think if I’d known it was this violent I would’ve passed.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Amid the beautifully rendered landscape of 1938 Los Angeles, wholesome Cliff (Bill Campbell), a talented pilot, has his hopes dashed when the plane he has spent three years developing is destroyed during its maiden voyage. When he discovers a rocket pack stowed away in the local hangar, he thinks he has found a way to salvage his flying career. Instead, the FBI, the Mob, and a debonair Nazi all suddenly want what he's got. After some suspenseful chase sequences, Cliff discovers that his new toy is actually America's attempt to catch up to the German war machine. He transforms himself into a jet-powered superhero and saves the world and his girl in the final showdown.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (7):

Visually elegant and fitfully exciting, THE ROCKETEER suffers for its formulaic and occasionally vague plot. As a Nazi-themed action-adventure, the film can't help but bring to mind the funnier and more exciting Raiders of the Lost Ark. While not on par with Raiders, it is, nonetheless, an enjoyable movie that takes some unexpected jabs at old Hollywood.

Amusing performances parody the acting styles of depression-era Saturday matinee serials. As a swashbuckling movie star and Nazi agent, Timothy Dalton oozes villainous charm, but Jennifer Connelly as the aspiring starlet and love interest is less lively than this brand of heroine can be. More winning are Cliff and his aw-shucks brand of American charm. Kids will thrill as Cliff rockets to superhero status. Not as well realized is the mobster subplot. It ends with the unconvincing conversion of these murderous thugs into American patriots, eager (in pre-war 1938, no less) to quash the Nazi threat.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about action movies as a genre. What makes for a good action film? Are they limited in any way?

  • How is Jenny like most damsels in distress in action movies? How is she different?

  • Families who enjoy the Iron Man movies can compare them to this film. How are the heroes different?

Movie Details

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