History YMMV / TheRocketeer

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: A young Creator/JenniferConnelly playing an aspiring actress. Ten years later, she wins an [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]] for ''Film/ABeautifulMind''.

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: There were two video games based on the film, the UsefulNotes/{{NES}} version in 1991 developed by Ironwind Software and Creator/RealtimeAssociates and published by [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Bandai]] and UsefulNotes/{{SNES}} version by IGS Corp. in 1992. The NES version has colorful cutscenes that follow the movie, but still suffers from an overabundance of enemies who can easily kill you while it's hard for you to kill them, as well as a jetpack that requires you to find fuel for it, and even then, should only be used sparingly. While the game does provide a password system, you still get a GameOver after losing one life. The SNES version, despite being on a more advanced console, is even worse, as the first few levels require you to beat an airplane race, and in order to win it, you must pay close attention to what's going on in the tiny box in the HUD, not what's going on on the main screen, when it should be the other way around. In the shoot-em-up levels, which appear later in the game, you can actually destroy your health power-ups, and while enemies can change direction to attack you, you can't. Your reward for beating both games is an AWinnerIsYou ending. ''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd'' has reviewed both these games, saying that the SNES version in particular may have surpassed ''VideoGame/TheWizardOfOz'' and ''VideoGame/HongKong97'' as the worst SNES game he's ever played.

* EnsembleDarkHorse: Creator/TerryOQuinn as Howard Hughes just straight-up owns every scene he's in, being a DeadpanSnarker ReasonableAuthorityFigure GadgeteerGenius who takes no crap from the government officials and fully supports Cliff throughout the film.

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: There were two video games based on the film, the UsefulNotes/{{NES}} version in 1991 developed by Ironwind Software and Creator/RealtimeAssociates and published by [[Creator/NamcoBandai Bandai]] and UsefulNotes/{{SNES}} version by IGS Corp. in 1992. The NES version has colorful cutscenes that follow the movie, but still suffers from an overabundance of enemies who can easily kill you while it's hard for you to kill them, as well as a jetpack that requires you to find fuel for it, and even then, should only be used sparingly. While the game does provide a password system, you still get a GameOver after losing one life. The SNES version, despite being on a more advanced console, is even worse, as the first few levels require you to beat an airplane race, and in order to win it, you must pay close attention to what's going on in the tiny box in the HUD, not what's going on on the main screen, when it should be the other way around. In the shoot-em-up levels, which appear later in the game, you can actually destroy your health power-ups, and while enemies can change direction to attack you, you can't. Your reward for beating both games is an AWinnerIsYou ending. ''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd'' has reviewed both these games, saying that the SNES version in particular may have surpassed ''VideoGame/TheWizardOfOz'' and ''VideoGame/HongKong97'' as the worst SNES game he's ever played.

** In particular is the main theme, people have described it as the perfect audio representation of the feeling of flight.

* FridgeBrilliance: TheMafia were fighting UsefulNotes/BenitoMussolini in Italy.[[note]] The truth is slightly more complicated. Parts of the Mafia aligned with Mussolini in his rise to power, while other parts stuck with the establishment, seeing Mussolini as too risky a bet, and the two groups came into conflict. Once in power, Italian Fascists had little interest in actually fighting organized crime, which continued and even thrived in their operations, but they made it illegal to report on Mafia crime, creating the impression that Mussolini defeated the mafia.[[/note]] They certainly wouldn't approve of his Axis partner.

* FridgeBrilliance: TheMafia were fighting UsefulNotes/BenitoMussolini in Italy. They certainly wouldn't approve of his Axis partner.

* CatharsisFactor: [[spoiler: Love him or hate him, Sinclair plummeting to his detah with the immolated rocketpack is very elaborate and cool. Same with Lothar caught in the blast of the zeppelin too.]]

%%* CultClassic:

* EnsembleDarkHorse: Creator/TerryOQuinn as Howard Hughes just straight-up owns every scene he's in being a DeadpanSnarker ReasonableAuthorityFigure GadgeteerGenius who takes no crap from the government officials and fully supporst Cliff throughout the film.

* {{Creator/TerryOQuinn}} as Howard Hughes just straight-up owns every scene he's in being a DeadpanSnarker ReasonableAuthorityFigure GadgeteerGenius who takes no crap from the government officials and fully supporst Cliff throughout the film.

%%* CultClassic

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Being a movie about flight, Music/JamesHorner died in a plane crash in 2015.

* NightmareFuel

* VindicatedByHistory: Time has been kind to this film. It suffered the year it came out (1991) surrounded by bigger blockbusters - ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'' (the 2 highest-grossing films of the year!), ''Film/CitySlickers'', and others - but it received favorable reviews and gained a cult following thanks to video rentals and TV, as well as earning a spiritual successor in ''ComicBook/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' (also directed by Joe Johnston) in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. Creator/{{HBO}} was [[VindicatedByCable was very kind to it as well]].

* WinTheCrowd: Creator/BillyCampbell's involvement helped draw many people to the series.

* VindicatedByHistory: Time has been kind to this film. It suffered the year it came out (1991) surrounded by bigger blockbusters - ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'' (the 2 highest-grossing films of the year!), ''Film/CitySlickers'', and others - but it received favorable reviews and gained a cult following thanks to video rentals and TV, as well as earning a spiritual successor in the ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' films in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. Creator/{{HBO}} was [[VindicatedByCable was very kind to it as well.]]

[[folder: The Sequel]]
* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: The sequel is ''already'' getting hit with this, thanks to having a black female lead. Fun drinking game: Go through the comments on any article reporting the story and take a shot each time there's a comment about "[[PoliticallyCorrectHistory political correctness]]" or "[[ArtisticLicenseHistory historical inaccuracy]]".
[[/folder]]

** This wouldn't be the last time that Joe Johnston directed a film about a [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Golden Age World War II comic book hero with an unashamedly idealistic edge]]. In fact, that's probably why Creator/{{Marvel|Comics}} hired him. What's more is that Creator/JenniferConnelly would later star in two different Marvel movies (Creator/AngLee's ''{{Film/Hulk}}'' and ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'').

** This wouldn't be the last time that Joe Johnston directed a film about a [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Golden Age World War II comic book hero with an unashamedly idealistic edge]]. In fact, that's probably why Creator/{{Marvel|Comics}} hired him. What's more is that Jennifer Connelly would later star in two different Marvel movies (Creator/AngLee's ''{{Film/Hulk}}'' and ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'').

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: The sequel is ''already'' getting hit with this thanks to having a black female lead. Fun drinking game: Go through the comments on any article reporting the story and take a shot each time there's a comment about "[[PoliticallyCorrectHistory political correctness]]" or "[[ArtisticLicenseHistory historical inaccuracy]]".

** Melora Hardin singing "Begin the Beguine" at the South Seas Club. Very much evocative of the glitz and glamour of 1930's Hollywood. Plus, the song itself is a nice Big Band standard in its own right.

* DracoInLeatherPants: Neville Sinclair. You'd be surprised just how many people thought Jenny Blake should've ended up with him. It helps that he's played by Creator/TimothyDalton.

** "I do my own stunts!" Not so funny for Daniel Craig, who does most of his own stunts in the James Bond series, and has the injuries to prove it.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: A young Jennifer Connelly playing an aspiring actress. Ten years later she wins an Oscar for ''Film/ABeautifulMind''.

** Bill Campbell convincingly played Cliff Secord as a chivalrous, heroic, and decent man. About ten years later, [[Film/{{Enough}} he played Mitch]], who, as an entitled, stalking abuser, couldn't be more different. Also, both his leading ladies are called Jennifer.
** This wouldn't be the last time that Joe Johnston directed a film about a [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Golden age World War II Comic book hero with an unashamedly idealistic edge]]. In fact, that's probably why Marvel hired him. What's more is that Jennifer Connelly would later star in two different Marvel movies (Ang Lee's ''{{Film/Hulk}}'' and ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'').

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: There were two video games based on the film, developed for the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem and UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem in 1992 by [[Creator/NamcoBandai Bandiai]]. The NES version has colorful cutscenes that follow the movie, but still suffers from an overabundance of enemies who can easily kill you while it's hard for you to kill them, as well as a jet pack that requires you to find fuel for it, and even then, should only be used sparingly. While the game does provide a password system, you still get a Game Over after losing one life. The SNES version, despite being on a more advanced console, is even worse, as the first few levels require you to beat an airplace race, and in order to win it, you must pay close attention to what's going on in the tiny box in the HUD, not what's going on on the main screen, when it should be the other way around. In the shoot-em-up levels, which appear later in the game, you can actually destroy your health power-ups, and while enemies can change direction to attack you, you can't. Your reward for beating both games is an AWinnerIsYou ending. ''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd'' has reviewed both these games, saying that the SNES version in particular may have surpassed ''VideoGame/TheWizardOfOz'' and ''VideoGame/HongKong97'' as the worst SNES game he's ever played.

* VindicatedByHistory: Time has been kind to this film. It suffered the year it came out (1991) surrounded by bigger blockbusters - ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'' (the 2 highest-grossing films of the year!), ''Film/CitySlickers'', and others - but it received favorable reviews and gained a cult following thanks to video rentals and TV, as well as earning a spiritual successor in the ''Captain America'' films in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. Creator/{{HBO}} was [[VindicatedByCable was very kind to it as well.]]

** Kit definitely embraces this thanks to her love of aviation and generally cheerful attitude.

* {{Moe}}: Both Kit and Tesh are definitely this thanks to their idealism and {{Adorkable}} behavior.
* TooGoodToLast: The show was very warmly received by critics and audiences, even earning a Daytime Emmy nomination, but Disney Junior's [[ScrewedByTheNetwork unfair treatment]] ensured it would only last one season. This is especially jarring since shows like ''WesternAnimation/{{TOTS}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/MiraRoyalDetective'' got renewed for a second season before or shortly after they debuted.
* WinTheCrowd: Billy Campbell's involvement helped draw many people to the series.

[[folder:The Sequel]]