David Elroy

It's not heavy with facts, but that's to be expected since hard evidence of Neanderthals is scanty. (Depending how you count, only about a dozen complete skeletons have ever been unearthed.)

It tries hard to give Neanderthals the benefit of the doubt, seeing them as peaceful and intelligent as much as the evidence will allow. We know they had tools and clothes, and we know they gave some attention to burial of the dead. But we have no definite evidence of art (carvings, paintings, necklaces).

What I like best is the re-enactments, including the images of landscapes and coasts. Sir Patrick Stewart sounds tired in his narration, but the gentleness in his voice conjures a simpler time.

Nothing groundbreaking in this movie, but a good respectful treatment of a fascinating topic.

As others have said, you need to accept some poor CGI to watch this one. Actually the backgrounds and colors are good, and the plagues are scary, but the human figures... yeah, they're ugly. Several figures are annoying caricatures, like the short whiney Hebrew with the vest. So you need to accept this flaw.

Everything else is very good - the voices, the pacing, the action and storytelling. It's surprisingly accurate to the Bible. I would have liked a little more sympathy for Ramses (like in Prince of Egypt), but he does have his sensitive moments, like when his eyes turn sad when he realizes his son might die. Other Egyptians are sympathetic, like the guard who regrets carrying out his harsh duties.

Although Moses doesn't order the killing of nonbelievers as he does in Exodus 32, he accepts that it will happen, and God takes care of things with an earthquake. This is good storytelling: retaining the main idea without making it too harsh for kids. Speaking of kids, my 7-yr-old loved this movie and insisted on watching it 3 times before I returned it! I recommend it for kids 7-10 (and their parents of course).

One thing portrayed particularly well is the ungratefulness of the freed Hebrews. This is a running theme in the Bible, and it's well handled here. The message is a good one: when we are ungrateful, our ingratitude affects those around us. Therefore, let us give thanks for what we have - every step of the way.

This first Commando Cody adventure ain't bad, but the rocket suit, and most of the flying footage, was straight from Republic's first rocket suit serial, King of the Rocket Men (1949), usually considered the last of the great classic serials. Everything good in Radar Men (and there's plenty that's good) is better in Rocket Men! Please see it! The hero and villain have more personality, the action is more hard-hitting and extreme, the plot is more focused, and - perhaps most importantly - there is much mystery and subterfuge. In Rocket Men, our hero must keep his identity secret - no one knows it's him in that suit. And the villain too has a secret identity - we see him only in silhouette. Here, in Radar Men, everybody knows who everybody else is. Enjoy Radar Men (I know I did), but first, enjoy Rocket Men!