I remarked in my review of The Rescuers that I did not feel as if Bernard and Bianca were well developed characters, but Disney does an excellent job in the sequel to make them surprisingly strong characters. In particular, Bernard is given a great character arc in The Rescuers Down Under. When we first see Bernard and Bianca, Bernard is frantically attempting to muster up enough courage to propose to Bianca in a nice, sweet scene. Then, due to some unforeseen distractions, Bernard gets side tracked and never has the opportunity to ask Bianca to marry him. When the Rescue Aid Society tasks them with travelling to Australia to rescue Cody (taking the place of Penny as the lovable human character in distress), Bernard's lack of self-confidence that is so abundant in The Rescuers comes back to the forefront, but instead of making him stay like that, the filmmakers give Bernard a chance to truly shine once on the ground in Australia. On numerous occasions, he must prove himself brave and worthy of Bianca through their many trials while in the land down under, especially when they meet Jake (a solid character as well), who instantly takes a liking to Bianca. We find ourselves cheering for Bernard wholeheartedly because we desperately want to see him, not Jake, end up with Bianca, and when the ending comes and he finally does propose, it is a superb emotional payoff. Bianca does not get an arc like that, but she does have a solid arc herself. Her fearlessness in the face of certain adversity is inspiring, and unlike in The Rescuers, Bianca is afforded many opportunities to be our comedic relief, which was a pleasant surprise. Bernard and Bianca are almost two entirely different characters than what they were in the first film as Disney shows us how to properly develop existing characters in sequels.
Elsewhere with the characters, Cody admirably steps in for Penny as he is also given a nice character arc. He is fiercely devoted to nature and its inhabitants, and even when faced with the vile poacher, McLeach, he stands firm in what he believes is right. Cody never wavers, and that is a powerful message proclaimed in this film. Plus, what can be wrong with a guy named Cody? Speaking of our villain, McLeach is a nice and needed upgrade from Madame Medusa in the original. There is nothing overtly evil about McLeach; in fact, he is just a greedy poacher. I am not saying that poachers aren't evil. They most certainly are, but the reason McLeach works so well as a villain for this film is that he is, above all, a human, flaws and all. He's not a sorcerer or a royal; instead, he is just a misguided man who is trying to survive in this world by any means necessary. McLeach is extraordinary because he is ordinary. Furthermore, McLeach's captured prey met by Cody about halfway through the film are solid additions to the ensemble, especially Frank the lizard, who is quite funny in his limited screentime. Also, taking the place of Orville from The Rescuers, Wilbur provides some splendid comedy throughout the film, especially in his first encounter and flight with Bernard and Bianca to Australia.
Thirteen years of technological advancement does wonders for this franchise because while The Rescuers was poorly executed from a animation standpoint, The Rescuers Down Under is oftentimes gorgeous due to the incorporation of computer technology to work alongside the hand drawn animation. The flight sequences with Cody and the rare golden eagle, Marahute, are stunningly beautiful, and the final scene featuring McLeach chasing Cody exhibits some excellent work as well. You notice by watching this film that the new generation of animators have come into their own and are getting a firm grasp on the style they want to display in their films.
The Rescuers Down Under never reaches classic status for me at least, though, because there is still something missing. Like its predecessor, it fails to give me that signature moment that sticks with me for days and weeks after I finish watching it. I feel as if I have to remind myself upon watching it every time that it is in fact a good film, whereas with films like The Little Mermaid, I know their greatness even on days that I do not watch them. That being said, The Rescuers Down Under is an extremely well executed sequel that boasts some great characters within the typically superb Disney animation and story. It is thoroughly entertaining while also maintaining its message. Therein lies the heart of this film, even if it never elevates beyond just being really good.
Rating: 8/10
Historical Significance: The box office for The Rescuers Down Under was not what Disney wanted or expected. In fact, it was by far the least successful film from the Disney Renaissance, grossing just under $28 million in its entire run. The opening weekend box office was weak enough that Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg ordered all television advertisements to be pulled immediately. The problem was that the film had been released on the same weekend as the classic Home Alone, which would go on to gross over $285 million in its initial run, over ten times as much as The Rescuers Down Under grossed. This caused Disney to reconsider its theatrical releases of sequels. After this film, to this day, only two sequels have been released by Disney in theaters (Fantasia 2000 and 2011's Winnie the Pooh). This explains why most of Disney sequels are released directly to home entertainment platforms.
Behind the Scenes: This would be Eva Gabor's (the voice of Bianca) final film before her death in 1995. A third Rescuers film was planned for home release in 1996, but once Gabor's health began deteriorating, those plans were scrapped out of respect for the late actress. This is also the reason that Orville from The Rescuers does not appear in The Rescuers Down Under. Jim Jordan voiced Orville, and he passed away in 1988. Disney wanted all of the original voices to return to the sequel, so instead of keeping Orville in the film and hiring a new voice, they created Wilbur as the new leader of Albatross Air. The two characters's names were a tribute to Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who flew the first airplane.
Favorite Character: Against all odds, I have to go with Bernard for this section. His complete arc came as a shock to me, but a pleasant shock nonetheless. He was rather unmemorable in The Rescuers, but in the sequel, he is the star of the show. His progression from timid and anxious to daring and audacious is a wonder to behold. Whenever Bernard and Bianca are interacting with Jake, and we see Bernard trying to compete with Jake, Bernard truly shines. Disney gave this character a tremendous makeover, and the results were spectacular.
Favorite Scene: The first scene featuring Bernard and Bianca is an exceptional introduction to these characters for the sequel. By dining at a fancy restaurant with a ring in Bernard's possession, the filmmakers quickly bring us to speed with what has transpired in their relationship since the first film without any unnecessary backstory. We dive right into learning more about Bernard and Bianca, and the scene that follows is one of pure delight. Seeing Bernard stumble about due to nervousness is a relatable, sweet moment, and when the two converse about two totally different topics (Bianca is talking about their mission to Australia while Bernard is discussing possible wedding plans), Disney magic comes alive.
Updated Ranking: I applaud Disney for giving us a more than worthy sequel, and here's how I would rank it.
- The Little Mermaid
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Peter Pan
- Cinderella
- The Jungle Book
- Sleeping Beauty
- Pinocchio
- Lady and the Tramp
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Alice in Wonderland
- Dumbo
- Bambi
- 101 Dalmatians
- The Great Mouse Detective
- Fantasia
- The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
- The AristoCats
- The Rescuers Down Under
- Fun and Fancy Free
- The Fox and the Hound
- Robin Hood
- Melody Time
- The Three Caballeros
- Saludos Amigos
- Oliver & Company
- The Rescuers
- The Sword in the Stone
- Make Mine Music
- The Black Cauldron
Brace yourself, folks. Here's a spoiler alert for this next stretch of film: It will be a true shock to me if any film over the next few weeks receives anything less than a 10 on my rating scale. It all begins tomorrow with Beauty and the Beast!
-Cody Fleenor
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