Review of The Rescuers

It may not seem much, but The Rescuers is one of Disney's most haunting and depressing cartoons with a violent atmosphere. Little kids may laugh at the silly antics of the mice (such as when Bernard's tail gets stuck in the book, etc...) and may find the crocodiles "cool", but we, the adults, get to see much more than that. Although not in the strictest sense, The Rescuers is a scary cartoon. It opens up memorably with the song, Journey, which is sung by Shelby Flint in her effectively haunting, and angelic, voice. The tragic song + the violent sea montage sums up in 3 minutes the tone and nature of the film. The story is that Penny is taken in by Medusa and Scoops, two very terrible people, and make Penny retrieve a diamond from a difficult place. I don't know about you but to me it played out like a demented, even more darker version of Wind in the Willows and Mathilda, with all the sweetness taken out.

Upon getting Penny's cry for help, Bianca and Bernard set off to rescue her. These two very likable characters, although given enough time to display their likability, are not given enough time to develop personalities. Not to say I'm complaining or anything, just something they could've worked on. Medusa is one of Disney's most under-rated villains. I do believe she was modeled after Cruella De Ville because she bears many similarities to her; Quick-temper, one-minded behavior, low tolerance etc....

In conclusion, The Rescuers is arguably one of Disney's greatest efforts to date and one of their most (oddly) charming and beautiful. The story is simple, although quite r-rated, and the songs sung by Shelby Flint are one of the most haunting, yet so angelic.

8.0/10