Do you want to see ‘The Rocketeer’?

The Rocketeer (1991)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.9/10
Reviews Counted: 57
Fresh: 35 | Rotten: 22

An action-packed, if anachronistic, look back at pulp matinee serials, The Rocketeer may ring hollow with viewers expecting more than simple fun and gee-whiz special effects.

Average Rating: 5.8/10
Critic Reviews: 9
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 4

An action-packed, if anachronistic, look back at pulp matinee serials, The Rocketeer may ring hollow with viewers expecting more than simple fun and gee-whiz special effects.

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Average Rating: 3/5
User Ratings: 54,837

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Movie Info

After getting his start as a visual effects artist on the original Star Wars trilogy, Spielberg protege Joe Johnston found success as a director with his debut film, the blockbuster family adventure Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. For his sophomore outing, Johnston helmed this action-adventurer, set in 1930s Hollywood and in the spirit of old pulp comics and adventure serials, and co-adapted from the David Stevens graphic novel by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo. Bill Campbell stars as Cliff Secord, an

PG, 1 hr. 49 min.

Action & Adventure, Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Joe Johnston

Written By: Dave Stevens, Danny Bilson

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1991 Wide

On DVD: Jul 17, 2001

Cast

Bill Campbell
Cliff Secord
Jennifer Connelly
Jenny Blake
Alan Arkin
Peevy
Timothy Dalton
Neville Sinclair
Paul Sorvino
Eddie Valentine
Ed Lauter
Fitch
Terry O'Quinn
Howard Hughes
James Handy
Wooly
Tiny Ron
Lothar/Good Old Boy
Robert Miranda
Spanish Johnny
John LavachieIIi
Rusty
Eddie Jones
Malcolm
Julian Barnes
Charlie
Danielle Bedau
Girl at Newsstand
William Boyett
Government Liaison
Richard T. Brickert
Airshow Pilot
Peter Bromilow
Nobleman
Pat Crawford Brown
Mrs. Pye
Michael Francis Clarke
G-Man
Perry Cook
Good Old Boy
Chance Michael Corbitt
Newspaper Kid
Joseph D'Angelo
Stevie
Gene Daily
Clark Gable
Paul De Souza
Pauly
Nada Despotovich
Irma
Lila Finn
Clothesline Lady
Mike Finneran
Reporter
Paul Forsyth
Nazi Commando
William Frankfather
Government Liaison
Peter Frankland
Nazi Commando
Scanlon Gail
G-Man at Chaplin Field
Taylor Gilbert
Stewardess
Max Grod�nchik
Wilmer
Melora Hardin
South Seas Singer
Darryl Henriques
G-Man
Steve Hinton
Airshow Pilot
Craig Hosking
Airshow Pilot
Clint Howard
Monk
Thomas Huff
Lenny
Heinrich James
Nazi Agent
Ele Keats
Girl at Newsstand
Tom Kindle
Clapperboy
Bob Leeman
W.C. Fields
Kristopher Logan
Nazi Commando
America Martin
Patsy
Margo Martindale
Millie
Doug McGrath
Reporter
Kathleen Michaels
South Seas Camera Girl
Michael Milhoan
Jeff
Daniel O'Shea
Mike
Rick Overton
South Seas Patron
Lisa Pedersen
Noblewoman
Jon Polito
Bigelow
Herman Poppe
Zeppelin Captain
David Pressman
Hospital Guard
Arlee Reed
Cameraman
Lori Lynn Ross
South Seas Mermaid
William Sanderson
Skeets
Bob Sandman
South Seas Bandleader
Kim Sebastian
Nurse
Charlie Stavola
Assistant Director
Bill Turner
Airshow Pilot
Sam Vincent
Filmstage Director
Norbert Weisser
Zeppelin Pilot
Chuck Wentworth
Airshow Pilot
Merritt Yohnka
Nazi Crewman
Jim Franklin
Airshow Pilot
Don Pugsley
Goose
Richard Warlock
FBI Agent
Dave Adams
Reporter
Tom Tully
Reporter
Billy Campbell

Critic Reviews for The Rocketeer

All Critics (57) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (37) | Rotten (22) | DVD (24)

A piece of blandly enthusiastic, B-movie pulp.

July 6, 2010 Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly

| Comment

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Top Critic

This $40 million adventure fantasy puts a shiny polish on familiar elements: airborne hero, damsel in distress, Nazi villains, 1930s Hollywood glamor, and dazzling special effects.

April 18, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety

Top Critic

The whole thing is good-natured enough, but increasingly mechanical.

April 18, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Plenty of energy has gone into making this a bustling, visually clever film with an amusing late-1930's stylishness, but the purpose of such effort is uncertain.

August 30, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

The film is awash in all kinds of surprises that are too juicy to reveal.

May 12, 2001 Comment

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Top Critic

The Rocketeer may not be perfect, but it's an excellent example of how to adapt a comic book to the screen.

February 13, 2001 Full Review Source: ReelViews

| Comment

James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Top Critic

A charming adventure tale, in the spirit of 1930's serials, The Rocketeer is a fun ride.

January 29, 2012 Full Review Source: IGN DVD

| Comment

R. L. Shaffer

IGN DVD

One of Disney's most underrated films, and I can't for the life of me figure out why, unless it's the absence of a big-name star.

December 29, 2011 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

James Plath

Movie Metropolis

A charmer in its gee-whiz, irony-light resuscitation of the movie serials of the '30s. [Blu-ray]

December 29, 2011 Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews

| Comment

Peter Canavese

Groucho Reviews Source: Groucho Reviews

While The Rocketeer never crashes, it's a bumpy ride of cartoonish characters, a flimsy plot and an overall sense of letdown.

December 27, 2011 Full Review Source: Movie Views

| Comment

Ryan Cracknell

Movie Views Source: Movie Views

It's not as dark or as edgy as Tim Burton's Batman films, but it's still cleaner and more digestible. It's not a deep story, but it's full of fun nostalgia and action.

December 20, 2011 Full Review Source: 7M Pictures

| Comment

Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

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

September 6, 2011 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Ellen MacKay

Common Sense Media

A beautifully directed, high-flyin' production, teeming with all sorts of classic Hollywood encounters and bizarre comic book touches...Connelly is mesmerizing -- a stupendous act of casting that elevates the room temperature of the picture.

June 20, 2011 Full Review Source: BrianOrndorf.com

| Comment

Brian Orndorf

BrianOrndorf.com

Almost never takes thrilling flight.

June 1, 2011 Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness

| Comment

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

More Deco-era style than substance -- but fun.

January 1, 2011 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Ellen MacKay

Common Sense Media

Energetic, but the script is routine.

July 16, 2010 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

The result is a movie that looks nice and moves along efficiently, but offers little reason for anyone to watch.

April 18, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Neat idea, peachy visuals, but there ain't much else to grip the imagination.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Truer to the old school Saturday matinee spirit than any modern film this side of Indiana Jones

September 10, 2005 Comment

Dan Fienberg

Zap2it.com

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Rocketeer

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Our story takes place in Hollywood in 1938 and concerns a test pilot named Cliff who stumbles upon a rocket powered jetpack designed by Howard Hughes that is desperately wanted by the Nazis. Along the way, there's plenty of intrigue with G Men, gangsters, and a rather shady Hollywood film icon. This movie has classic

December 23, 2011

Chris Weber

Super Reviewer

High-flying fun! I knew nothing of this film prior to seeing it, so I had no idea what to expect. Not many minutes went by though, before I got completely immersed into its wonderful story. As one of the first pioneers within the comic book genre, this film blazed a great trail for future franchises. The special

May 6, 2007

Mike S

Super Reviewer

The Rocketeer Quotes

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1. Howard Hughes: How did it feel, strapping that thing to your back and flying like a bat out of hell?
2. Cliff Secord: Well it's the closest I'll ever get to heaven, Mr. Hughes.
– Submitted by Adrian G (6 months ago)

Submit a Quote from 'The Rocketeer'

A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.

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Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try.
Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.