The Rocketeer

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2:19

The Rocketeer

PG

1991

1h 49m

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

160 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Cliff Secord (Bill Campbell) is a cocky stunt pilot in love with a beautiful actress, Jenny Blake (Jennifer Connelly). When he discovers a jetpack hidden in a biplane, Cliff straps on the rocket, dons a flashy helmet and becomes the high-flying hero known as The Rocketeer. But when Nazis want to use the rocket as a weapon, Cliff must use his alter ego to both protect Jenny from an evil actor (Timothy Dalton) and save the day in this period adventure based on the comic books by Dave Stevens.

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Critics Consensus

An affectionate homage to the adventure serials of yesteryear, The Rocketeer soars above its thin characterizations to pack a wallop of exhilarating aerial action and high-spirited performances.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

Jun 17, 2026

3.5/4

Directed by Joe Johnston, this picture rips along with cascading energy and ends up being more entertaining than the last "Indiana Jones" film.

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Alexander Walker

London Evening Standard

Jun 17, 2026

Everything in it works the way that gripping yarns once used to do.

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Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

Jun 17, 2026

What the film needs is wit and that is what, and barely in time, Timothy Dalton supplies... He makes the rest of "Rocketeer's" perfect squareness palatable, and make it possible for us to relate to its gee-whiz allure.

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George Meyer

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Jul 8, 2026

"The Rocketeer" is a theme park of a flick -- caricatures instead of characters; melodrama instead of realism and effects that aren't so much special as otherworldly.

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Bob Ross

Tampa Tribune

Jun 17, 2026

3.5/4

An enjoyable romp through the movie-serial archives, with enough energy and originality to stand on its own as a first-rate adventure.

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Dan Webster

Spokesman-Review (Washington)

Jun 17, 2026

3/4

There's not much new here in terms of plot, but director John Johnston keeps things moving well enough and the special effects sequences are impressive.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 18, 2026

The Rocketeer = a 3.5 star Movie!

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Los G

@RT08187295 Jun 23, 2026

Pleasant, with moments of fun. Dalton has a great town but the baddie should never be SO MUCH more fun than the lead (who is utterly forgettable). Ultimately, the film lacks any real drive - and I just can't get over the basic absurdity that the rocket would burn the legs off anyone who used it!!

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Henry D

@Henry_Domke May 17, 2026

The humor didn’t hit right, and the whole thing felt surprisingly leaden. Despite the good production value and fine music, it dragged badly enough that we quit after 40 minutes.

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Ben W

@Username618 Apr 25, 2026

So. Even if it is meta, I think that in making a film, you must remember that all you are doing is making a film. You could argue, a film is merely a window- if you're a serious person, or a bit of a clown, it will be apparent. So I lost that argument- it's early. The point being, this doesn't treat itself too seriously, and that's right. This I remember enjoying.

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Zaccario P.

@zaccarioplanetoid Mar 27, 2026

The perfect family adventure film. Why don’t they make films like this anymore?

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Ben P

@RT03959963 Mar 2, 2026

Very boring movie, don't recommend.

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Joe Johnston

Director

Billy Campbell

Cliff Secord

Jennifer Connelly

Jenny Blake

Timothy Dalton

Neville Sinclair

Alan Arkin

A. 'Peevy' Peabody

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Synopsis

Cliff Secord (Bill Campbell) is a cocky stunt pilot in love with a beautiful actress, Jenny Blake (Jennifer Connelly). When he discovers a jetpack hidden in a biplane, Cliff straps on the rocket, dons a flashy helmet and becomes the high-flying hero known as The Rocketeer. But when Nazis want to use the rocket as a weapon, Cliff must use his alter ego to both protect Jenny from an evil actor (Timothy Dalton) and save the day in this period adventure based on the comic books by Dave Stevens.

Director: Joe Johnston
Producer: Charles Gordon, Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin
Screenwriter: Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo, William Dear
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures, Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, Gordon Company
Rating: PG
Genre: Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 21, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 14, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $46.5M
Runtime: 1h 49m
Sound Mix: Surround

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