 Internet reviewer James Berardinelli commented that " The Rocketeer may not be perfect , but it 's an excellent example of how to adapt a comic book to the screen . " However , Janet Maslin from The New York Times gave a mixed review . She called The Rocketeer " a benign adventure saga that has attractive stars , elaborate gimmicks and nice production values — everything it needs except a personality of its own . " Maslin believed that by setting the story in 1938 , the filmmakers were more interested in the Art Deco production design and visual effects instead of imbuing the storyline with " inspiration , which may be why it finally feels flat . " Hal Hinson , writing in The Washington Post , felt the film was too concerned with family @-@ friendliness . Jonathan Rosenbaum of Chicago Reader believed both the editing and the storyline were not well balanced and felt The Rocketeer ripped @-@ off elements of Indiana Jones and Back to the Future . Rosenbaum also cited the casting decision of character actors as being too practical . " The whole thing is good @-@ natured enough " , he explained , " but increasingly mechanical . " 
