Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Rocketman

Reviewed by: Dave Rettig
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Better than Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: 8-13
Genre: Comedy
Length: 84 min.
Year of Release: 1997
USA Release:
Featuring Harland Williams, William Sadler, Beau Bridges, Jessica Lundy
Director Stuart Gillard
Producer
Distributor Walt Disney PicturesWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Alternatively, this film could have been named “Ernest Goes To Mars” or “Pee Wee’s Big Space Trip”. The Rocketman, Fred Randall, is your typical over enthusiastic, under qualified, socially graceless, movie computer geek. When Randall ends up on the first mission to Mars with America’s best, laughs ensue.

Rocketman Randall is the underdog, seeking acceptance from the professional astronauts whom he has idolized since childhood. His obnoxious personality and unfortunate mishaps continually put Rocketman and the veteran crew at odds. Fortunately, there is the crew’s space chimp with which Randall can bond.

Disney’s “Rocketman” is very clean. Although the most conservative may object to some of the issues raised by this movie, a chimp doing human tasks and the possibility of life on Mars, these are far from central to the movie. There is one brief instance of profanity and a facial expression that could possibly be interpreted as sexual innuendo.

If you are looking for intelligent humor, stay home. If you have 8-13 year old children or can laugh with 8-13 year old children, this movie is a winner!


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
I totally disagree with the age group that you place on Disney’s “RocketMan”. I am 16 and so is my friend here and as a matter of fact, we are watching “RocketMan” right now! And we love it! So do our older friends. Sorry if it sounds like we’re harassing you, but we just had to take up for Fred and Ulysses. “So take the monkey-fruitcake and go sit at the table.”…
Anonymous
I have to disagree with your age grouping for the movie “RocketMan”. I’m 17 and enjoyed the movie very much, also did my 18 year old friend. It’s probably one of Disney’s funniest movies ever. I hope they continue to produce comedy of that sort.
Jason Searcy, age 17