Underrated Gems: The Rocketeer

 

        I honestly thought this one was one of the first heroes to pop up in the 1930s and I was wrong. Created by Dave Stevens in 1982, The Rocketeer is an homage of the classic heroes who appeared in the matinee serials in the 1930s and 50s. Cliff Secord is a pilot who comes across an experimental jetpack and flies to stop evil. It only made sense for the flying hero to get his film adaptation. While it’s an underrated superhero film from Disney, it deserves to have your attention. 

1. Cliff Secord

        This is director Joe Johnston’s second film, following Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. I’ll talk about him later in the review. We see Cliff Secord as a stunt pilot, as he's flying, he gets involved in a car chase shootout between the FBI and some gangsters. His plane gets clipped and crash lands. One of the mobsters has in possession an experimental jet pack and hides it in the hangar where Cliff uses. As Secord and his assistant Peevy realize what they found, they begin to test it. 

        One of my favorite parts in any superhero film is the moments where we see the protagonist test out their power. Or in this case, play with the jetpack. It’s like everyone’s dream to fly one. Cliff wants to use the tool to make money for the coming air show. While his assistant tells him that he must return the pack so that he can avoid being arrested. Cliff is stubborn but has that ambition to be the best and he usually goes against whatever his friend says. 

        Meanwhile, the FBI is working with aircraft industrialist Howard Hughes since he tells them that someone else has investigated his plans of the jetpack. Another tidbit is that mob is in cahoots with an actor from Hollywood. Neville Sinclair is one slime bucket; he is an action star for his film, while also attempting to get Hughes's project. 

        So yeah, the jetpack is the MacGuffin that drives the entire plot. You may have heard this term, but if you haven’t it means that the jetpack is the thing that people want and what has the plot rolling. When Cliff becomes The Rocketeer, he certainly evokes that early look of a hero. With the jacket he wears resembles what Shazam used to wear. One thing is that when he turns on the pack, there’s a button on his hand, perhaps it was something Ant-Man had borrowed?

Additionally, his helmet also looks something of the time. That style that the helmet evokes is called art-deco. What that is was an art style that was popular back in the early 20th century. It was a style that prided itself on exuberance and technological advancement. If that didn’t help explain what I just wrote, just look at the poster. 

        One last thing that I keep noticing is that Cliff uses a piece of gum to help him when he first flies his plane and when he straps on the jetpack. Looking it up further, pilots had a superstition of chewing on a specific gum “Beemans”. With Cliff, he uses it as a duct tape on the fin of his plane and for plugging up a leak on the jetpack. I think of it as a tribute, unless you’re really into aviation. 

2. Before the War

        The film takes place during the 30s, and we’re made aware of the Nazis. People forget that they tried to establish themselves as a new age of Germany. There’s even a plot point that has them launch a zeppelin traveling east to west of the United States. So, it’s technically wrong when people classify the film as a war film since Americans didn’t have any dislike for the Nazis before the war. 

        Also, one thing that was interesting was also the gangsters and the FBI working together. When it’s revealed just who Sinclair works for, both sides help each other. I love how the main gangster says that even though he makes little money, he’s still American. There’s a shot where Paul Savino’s character and the head Agent look at each other for a moment and keep shooting the bad guys. It was funny since I was not expecting that at all. If the film was given to someone less talented, it would've been a brief Untouchables moment.

3. Why Did It Bomb?

        While it did get good reviews when it came out, it didn’t make enough financially to be considered a profit. It made just 6.7 million dollars above its budget and that was just its domestic gross. What was apparent was the entire marketing approach to the film. When Disney greenlit the project, they intended it to be a trilogy and something to be toyetic. Which means to be marketable to children. Making matters worse was that it opened alongside the film City Slickers and a loaded summer release of that year.   

        Also, I think their marketing idea with Art-Deco was something that didn't really click with audiences. When thinking that it was marketed to kids, not one child could really care less that it has a distinct art style. 

4. Legacy

        As time moved past, there is a following that developed with the film. Fans have been desperate for a new film because the original intent was that Disney wanted to make a trilogy. Moreover, it was announced that Disney was making another film but only for its streaming service Disney Plus. There also exists a tv show of the same name for young children on Disney Junior that has Billy Campbell reprise his role but as a grandfather to the main protagonist. 

        The film may have been a reason as to why Marvel Studios producer Kevin Fiege brought in Joe Johnson to do Captain America’s entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both his second film and Captain America: The First Avenger have a very distinct style that is supposed to represent the time period that its supposed to take place. I feel that those two movies could bring in another sub-genre in superhero films, the period superhero films. 

5. Overall

        This is an enjoyable and humble film. It’s like an Indiana Jones movie but with a jet pack. The great thing is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and I honestly enjoyed that it evokes a wacky sense of adventure that was happening with adventure films of the past. 

        The Rocketeer gets a four out of five.