not as good as all the hype

I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Originally expecting this title to be another in Goofy's "Art of" series,I was shocked to discover,that this movie was in fact Goofy's entry film into a collection of Disney short movies that were designed to help the war effort.The plot:With America suffering from a rubber and fuel shortage due to the on going WWII,Goofy is chosen to test a number of designs by fellow Americans of vehicles which can help get people around,the the minimum use of rubber and fuel.View on the film:With the film having been made after the bombing of Pearl Harbour,I was pleased to see that the current Disney studio had decided not to censor the film's strongly worded lines against Japan,but to instead put an intro at the start to explain the historical events/time period that the short was made in.Along with the bold and shining animation of the vehicles,director Jack Kinney also shows a keen eye for subtle sight gags and in jokes,which go from a delightful cameo for an as yet un named dog, (who would later become Pluto!) to a newspaper having the headline "Ties not necessary to human life,says Prof. Da Gradi. ",as an in joke to Disney layout artist Don DaGradi.

The Disney war-time shorts are all entertaining at least but not of an entirely consistent quality. Victory Vehicles is one of the best ones, and it helps enormously that one of Disney's finest ever characters is the focus. And also that Goofy is on top form as well, he is still the appealing everyman but he excels just as much in the multiple personalities that can be seen here. It is a beautifully animated short, vibrantly coloured and crisp in detail. The music is both rousing and whimsical, with the pogo-stick song something that won't escape your head in a long time. And I do mean this in a good way, it is incredibly catchy stuff and further advantaged by how well the animation matches it. The gags are very inventive and are also very funny, the running foot car and golfing vehicle sequences are particularly note-worthy, while the story is simple with a good message that gets its point across effectively. The commentary is relevant and cleverly observed, put across like the storytelling in a way that never feels heavy-handed in approach.Overall, one of Disney's best war-time shorts and a pleasure to see Goofy again. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Okay, it's WWII. And there's a gas and rubber shortage. So America compensates by inventing loads of wacky vehicles that are powered in more eccentric ways. The narrator says that the money we save could be dropped on Tokyo or Berlin. Such a nice thing to say in a Disney cartoon. There is also a road sign saying 'SAVE YOUR SCRAPS TO BEAT THE JAPS.' How lovely. I'm sure the Japanese will appreciate this today. God forbid they get the Disney channel.It's primarily a Goofy cartoon. And I don't find him all that funny. Though there is a lot of invention and imagination put into it. Shame it had to be so Xenophobic. But I guess it was okay to be so at this point in history.

This is a wartime animated propaganda short that was made to offer arguments for the rationing of materials for the war effort, primarily gas. Civilian use was curtailed and this short rather whimsically posits the use of pogo sticks as the principal replacement for the automobile. A perfect pairing with Goofy, it's doubtful that it would have worked with any other character. Well worth watching. Recommended.