JETSONS: THE MOVIE

If you’re looking for a friendly, good-hearted Saturday morning cartoon, which will captivate 5-year-olds, but may bore 7-year-olds, then… meet George Jetson, Jane-his-wife, daughter-Judy, his-boy-Elroy.

Everything is going well for the Jetson family. Elroy has perfected his elevator shot to win the spaceball game. Jane is involved in fund raising for a charity. Judy has been asked out by Cosmic Cosmo, the rock star of the 21st century.

Then, George receives his long awaited vice-presidential promotion at Spacely’s Sprockets that will relocate him to an orbiting asteroid at the outer edge of the galaxy. Commissioned to run a factory which has been giving Mr. Spacely nothing but trouble, George is filled with pride, believing that Mr. Spacely has finally recognized his great talent. Actually, Mr. Spacely, having already lost four plant-managers, believes that George is expendable, too.

However, none of George’s family want to go, since Elroy will miss the big playoff-game, Judy her date and Jane her social activities. Only Astro the dog sticks by George.

Thus, the Jetsons leave under great duress, but, upon arrival, Elroy finds a new spaceball team, and Judy a new two-toned singing boyfriend, as everybody learns to make friends with alien creatures very dissimilar to themselves. Some of the creatures are cute, some are purely mechanical, others are just fur, but beneath their exteriors, they’re all friendly. The anti-bigotry message is clear: you must make an attempt to like people no matter how alien they are.

While working on the plant’s problems, George is kidnapped by saboteurs. Elroy leads a rescue party, which finds his father held captive by the cute Grungies who live inside the asteroid. The Grungies, whose city is being destroyed by Spacely’s mining equipment, have sabotaged the plant in order to stop their city’s destruction. Called to account for not protecting these friendly creatures, a deal is worked out whereby Mr. Spacely will hire the Grungies to mine the ore and produce Spacely Sprockets.

There is nothing in the movie that is objectionable to Christians. The movie does contain a friendly lecture on environmentalism, which does not go overboard into paganism or one-worldism, but is balanced in extolling the positive virtues of stewardship. Loving thy neighbor and the importance of respecting your father are also emphasized. The film is also a vehicle for other minor moral statements as well.

Too bad the picture is not that entertaining. The very thin plot is basically a half-hour cartoon script stretched out to 90 minutes. Without jeopardy or the fear of something serious about to happen, the movie does not hold the attention of an older audience. The animation is typical Saturday morning cartoon fare. A rock musician is added to capture the teenage audience, but the music sounds contrived, though harmless. In all, JETSONS: THE MOVIE is acceptable, but should have been better.