The Rocket (2014)
90%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 6 nominations
A feel-good success crafted with care, Kim Mordaunt’s story of two young kids in Laos is a heartfelt audience pleaser while remaining sensitive toward its subjects.
The Rocket is a heartwarming tale of a young Laotian boy who overcomes adversity and leads his family to a new home. While some critics found the film to be overproduced and manipulative, others praised its ability to remain a simple tale of hope and perseverance. Personally, I found myself on the edge of my seat during the nail-biting final scenes and was thoroughly impressed by the performance of Sitthiphon Disamoe, who brought a spirited energy to the central character. Overall, The Rocket is a likable and uplifting film that will leave you feeling inspired.
Production Company(ies)
Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures,
Distributor
Kino Lorber
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Ennis House – 2607 Glendower Avenue, Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1991
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 36m
-
Language(s):English, German
-
Country of origin:Australia
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 10, 2014 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 29, 2014
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Sitthiphon Disamoe, Loungnam Kaosainam, Alice Keohavong, Sumrit Warin, Bunsri Yindi, Udon Seesawat, directed by Kim Mordaunt, written by Kim Mordaunt, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Amy Taubin, Deborah Ross, Erik McClanahan, Tara Brady, Peter Bradshaw, Anton Bitel, Andrew Heskins, Nicholas Bell, Bernard Boo, Daniel Green, Naila Scargill, MPAA rating, produced by Sylvia Wilczynski, Laos, rocket festival, family, dam, displacement, competition, overcoming adversity, child protagonist, Southeast Asia, cinematography, cultural traditions, underdog story, heartwarming, feel-good, uplifting, emotional, inspiring, heartwarming, poignant, touching, heartwarming, charming, endearing, captivating, beautiful, stunning, breathtaking, powerful, moving, heart-rending, tear-jerking, heartening, triumphant, soulful, authentic, realistic, heartening, crowd-pleasing, heartening
Worldwide gross: $46,704,056
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $103,094,118
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 997
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 11,242,543
US/Canada gross: $46,704,056
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $103,094,118
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 728
US/Canada opening weekend: $9,600,754
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $21,192,619
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 630
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $35,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $77,258,689
Production budget ranking: 541
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $41,603,804
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$15,768,375
ROI to date (est.): -13%
ROI ranking: 1,466
Loungnam Kaosainam – Kia
Alice Keohavong – Mali
Sumrit Warin – Toma
Bunsri Yindi – Taitok
Udon Seesawat – Chief
Kim Mordaunt – Director/Writer
Sylvia Wilczynski – Producer
Director(s)
Kim Mordaunt
Writer(s)
Kim Mordaunt
Producer(s)
Sylvia Wilczynski
Film Festivals
Berlin
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (64) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (61) | Rotten (3)
Over-produced and shamelessly manipulative, The Rocket employs a cringe-inducing score that cues every desired audience response, including unalloyed uplift at the end.
August 28, 2019
Amy Taubin
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
[It’s] a feel-good, triumph-over-adversity story involving a small boy and, although this outcome also isn’t in any doubt, at least the journey is fascinating and it’s been made with a heart that is warm.
September 1, 2017
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
In some ways, it feels like a throwback to many ’80s teen movies, where everything comes down to a competition at the end, and the hero will finally get the chance to prove his worth.
March 31, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Erik McClanahan
Minneapolis Star Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Try not to fall off the edge of your seat during the film’s nail-biting final scenes.
March 14, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
It is a likable piece of work whose gentleness is an interesting contrast to the grim and even tragic subject matter.
March 13, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
A Lao-brow fable that resonates richly with the realities of globalisation.
March 13, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Anton Bitel
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
Australian writer/director Kim Mordaunt brings a convincing tale of a young Laotian boy leading his family to a new home…
September 24, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Andrew Heskins
easternKicks.com
A unique locale and cinematically underexplored group of people serves an intriguing jumping point into a tale that’s otherwise quite predictable, though enhanced by its ability to remain, simply, a tale of overcoming unfortunate circumstance.
August 29, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
A feel-good family film that evokes the winning dazzle of the best Disney pictures (the animated ones, especially), but without the patronizing sentimentality.
April 3, 2019 | Rating: 8/10
Bernard Boo
Way Too Indie
Though its central didactic message of retaining hope in the face of adversity is utterly commendable, it’s in the winning lead turns of its two child stars that The Rocket really earns its plaudits.
March 8, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Daniel Green
CineVue
What elevates The Rocket from a good film to outstanding is the performance of Sitthiphon Disamoe, our spirited central character.
February 28, 2019
Naila Scargill
Trebuchet
Australian director [Kim] Mordaunt immerses us in this new land and its surprising people, only to reveal that the unknown “other” is just like us.
August 31, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Pat Padua
Spectrum Culture…
Plot
Straight from the pages of a pulp comic from a past era, the Rocketeer recreates 1930’s Hollywood, complete with gangsters, Nazi spies, and the growth of the Age of Aviation. Young pilot Cliff Secord stumbles on a top secret rocket-pack and with the help of his mechanic/mentor, Peevy, he attempts to save his girl and stop the Nazis as The Rocketeer.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Rocket features a standout performance from Sitthiphon Disamoe as the film’s spirited central character.
Kim-Mordaunt.jpg
