7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A stunt pilot living in 1930's California finds a stolen jet-pack and uses the device to fight gangsters and Nazis as The Rocketeer.
Starring: Billy Campbell (VII), Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton, Paul SorvinoFamily | 100% |
Comic book | Insignificant |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, French
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
If you thought Joe Johnston's ties to Raiders of the Lost Ark were the reason the director shot to the top of Marvel's shortlist to helm Captain America: The First Avenger, think again. Once upon a time, there was a young man who fell in love with a high-flying, home-brewed superhero adventure called The Rocketeer. Twenty years later, that same man, sitting in a very comfortable chair of power at Marvel Studios, was asked who he thought could bring one of the comic publisher's trickiest heroes to life on the big screen. Three guesses as to whose name came up early and often in that conversation. Conjecture aside, though, Marvel Studios execs weren't the only ones who thought Johnston was perfectly suited to Cap. Before the recent superhero boom gave way to the box office titans and viable genre we know and love today, any comic fan worth his adamantium would count The Rocketeer among the greatest comicbook movies of all time. For many, Johnston's second feature film still holds those honors; some even mention it in the same breath as Superman: The Movie, and for good reason. While The Rocketeer hasn't aged as gracefully as other notable classics, it still stands as one of the most thrilling comicbook adaptations of the '90s and a nostalgic favorite sure to win over newcomers as readily as it appeals to its faithful fold.
"I think we're gonna need a helmet..."
The Rocketeer boasts a solid 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer that should erase any painful memories of its disappointing 1999 DVD counterpart. Still, I fear more casual viewers may not be as pleased with the results. Johnston's film has never been a top to bottom razor-sharp stunner, Hiro Narita's original photography is sometimes softer than some might anticipate, and several scenes -- specifically those shot largely in shadow, nighttime encounters, and FX-heavy sequences -- will undoubtedly lead to accusations of DNR and other unsavory remastering techniques. Have no fear, though, dear readers. While crush is a minor factor, ringing is apparent from time to time, and textures aren't always crystal clear, this is a more than commendable approximation of The Rocketeer Johnston and Narita prepped for theatrical release in 1991. Colors are sometimes bleak, sometimes bold, but always satisfying; select primaries light up the screen, while skintones are (mostly) well-saturated; deep comic-ink blacks effectively plunge the image into darkness; and any contrast inconsistencies and wavering I noticed seemed to be inherited from the source. Don't brace yourself for a hazy mess either. Although filmic softness certainly plays a role in the proceedings, edge definition is relatively impressive, many a closeup fares quite well, some fine textures still manage to make their way into the mix, and the film's velvety veneer of grain, though a touch unwieldy on occasion, is present and accounted for. As to the encode itself, I didn't catch sight of any significant anomalies -- artifacting, banding, aliasing or otherwise -- and the only thing that struck me as out of sorts, aside from the aforementioned crush and ringing, involves some limited delineation shortcomings.
All that said, The Rocketeer has never looked better. There's still room for improvement -- a more complete overhaul and high-dollar restoration would have gone a long way -- but most fans will be happy with this release until the next Anniversary Edition opportunity presents itself.
The Rocketeer doesn't sound like a new superhero actioner -- Iron Man leaves it in the dust -- but as twenty-year-old catalog adventures go, Disney's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track isn't completely blown away by DC and Marvel's big-screen big guns. Key word: completely. Voices are a tad thin when the action moves outdoors, but dialogue is generally strong, clear and intelligible throughout. Rear speaker activity comes and goes as it pleases, even though a few standout directional effects lend welcome (but somewhat artificial) movement to the experience, and LFE output is rather weak for a genre pic. The track's saving grace, then? James Horner's rousing score. From stirring flourishes of trumpets to the swelling surge of strings, his post-Depression themes and commanding orchestral pieces fill the soundfield, envelop the listener and bring The Rocketeer hurtling into existence. When all else underwhelms, Horner's music soars. Not that underwhelming is the mix's M.O. Newcomers may shrug their shoulders every now and again, but fans will have a tough time wiping the grin off their face.
20th Anniversary? What 20th Anniversary? The Rocketeer touches down without any special features (other than a standard definition 4:3 original theatrical trailer).
Don't let twenty years of rust scare you off. The Rocketeer may not be as thrilling as it once was, but it remains one of the best comicbook adaptations of the '90s and a high-flying suerphero adventure sure to rope in plenty of fans, new and old. Disney's Blu-ray release isn't too shabby either. A suite of look-back extras would have made the 20th Anniversary Edition absolutely irresistible, but the film's excellent video transfer and decent lossless audio track makes it worth purchasing regardless.
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