This is my favorite fantasy movie--makes me nostalgic for a USA I never knew and where I might not have been welcome, but what a place it might have been. Full of anticipation, the movie suggests a country and its people on the verge of greatness--the same story of our country retold many times. Rocketeer and pioneer--synonymous with the excitement of an unfolding adventure and, in this case, filled with the daily customs and familiarities of those who were either the protagonists or their witnesses.
Powerful components dazzle the viewer: melodic, brassy and triumphant music; luscious photography one could almost taste; comic book sets more intimate and more grand than real life; action-packed direction to beat the second hand; and a near-perfect cast (imagine actors other than Bill Campbell and Alan Arkin) for one of the ultimate feel good movies.
Admittedly, the Dave Stevens graphic novel offered more gristle, stronger counterpoint and puzzles to titillate, but it had to pass the Disney taste test to be allowed to emerge as a full blown movie--and at Disney everything must be sweet. Occasionally I allow myself dessert.
Powerful components dazzle the viewer: melodic, brassy and triumphant music; luscious photography one could almost taste; comic book sets more intimate and more grand than real life; action-packed direction to beat the second hand; and a near-perfect cast (imagine actors other than Bill Campbell and Alan Arkin) for one of the ultimate feel good movies.
Admittedly, the Dave Stevens graphic novel offered more gristle, stronger counterpoint and puzzles to titillate, but it had to pass the Disney taste test to be allowed to emerge as a full blown movie--and at Disney everything must be sweet. Occasionally I allow myself dessert.