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Maybe there should be a law that only children should review movies for
children. Asking some adult critic to get off his/her lofty perch and
roll around in the mud of childhood might be a bit of a stretch.
Is "Planes" bland, derivative pablum with a "feel-good" message? Sure,
if you are over 30. I was lucky to see it with my 8-year-old grandson
and his two similarly aged friends. They loved it and talked about the
characters all evening.
Being Disney, it had excellent graphics, funny sight gags and naughty
references that flew (literally at times) over the heads of the kiddies
(vasectomies figure big here). If you are an adult who loves airplanes,
there are cartoon versions of some real beauties especially the Gee Bee
Super Sportster, a barrel-shaped monster from the 1930's, and the
stolid F4U Corsair, modeled after WWII ace Ira Kepford's bird.
As far as the plot; that's unimportant. It is indeed boilerplate but
for kids, it's the sheer thrill of watching an action-packed Saturday
matinée, laps adorned with popcorn and soda containers, that matters.
Let the critics sip Chardonnay over their computers in disdain. The
kids don't care.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
The most important part...my two sons LOVE IT!! I can't wait to give this to them for Christmas. I showed my 3 1/2 yr old and my 18month old the trailer the night before and they were glued to the TV. I took my 3 1/2 year old to see it the next day. It was only his second movie theater experience--the first was the most recent Ice Age movie and we left because he could care less about Ice Age. But he knows the Cars movies by heart, and he can relate to them. He sat through the entire movie, quietly, enthralled in it! I didn't take the little one because I was afraid he wouldn't be able to sit through it-I wish I would have. Now they both love anything related to Planes. Lil one asks EVERY DAY to watch the trailer on my phone--over, and over, and over! I love to hear him try to say "Chupacabra"! Oldest got to actually build Chupacabra at Lowe's Build and Grow clinic. "Chupe" has flown many miles since! AWESOME kids movie! I just wish I could get it today!Best Deals for Planes (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (2013)
'Planes' Review. By Owen ZuppAuthor: 50 Tales of Flight: From Biplanes to Boeings
Famous movie franchises can be like famous families. They can benefit from association, but they can also suffer at the hands of unending comparisons. And this may well be the case for 'Planes'.
In terms of a movie, 'Cars' was a massive success and taking this tale to the next level was undoubtedly the goal for Disney. In terms of media, marketing and merchandising, transforming 'Cars' into 'Planes' was a relatively straightforward exercise, however, it was a greater leap of faith to transform the movie.
Without being a spoiler, the 'Cars' template was overlaid on the 'Planes' concept and then tweaked here and there. The backdrop is once again a race circuit, albeit around the world, and the shifting fortunes play out on a leader board. The central character is not a shiny 'Lightning McQueen', but the little plane that could. Once again, a wise old character tempers the star's impetuosity and there is even a love interest, although it has shifted to a pair of co-stars.
There is no escaping the quality of the film's production. The animation, 'camera' angles, settings and colour are all first class. The audience even captures a sense of flight as the aircraft pitch and roll about the big screen. Visually, 'Planes' is captivating.
What is missing to some degree is the humour stemming from spontaneity that 'Cars' brought to the table. Achieving this was always going to prove a difficult task given that the first franchise had set a benchmark of great expectations and conjured preconceptions in the minds of the audience. Funnily enough, if a template was being applied, this film may have benefited from employing another 'Mater'. A goofy side-kick providing comic relief right on cue.
Personally, I enjoyed 'Planes', but then again, I couldn't sit more in the centre of Disney's target demographic profile if I tried. I am an aviation enthusiast with a young family. I was always probably going to give this film '5 Stars' as it offers another opportunity to share cherished laughter and common ground with my children. However, the real test for 'Planes' will come from those not so centrally located in Disney's cross-hairs. Can it possibly have the far-reaching impact of the highly successful 'Cars' films? It is a very, very tough act to follow. In the future, 'Planes 2' could actually benefit from being one step removed from the other franchise and build upon its own identity.
For me, there is one final acid test for the film. I was lucky enough to see the movie on its opening day in the United States, but I am now keen to see the looks on my own kids' faces when 'Planes' lands here in Australia. Only then will I be able to truly rate the success of 'Planes'. I'll get back to you then...
Owen Zupp
Author: '50 Tales of Flight'
50 Tales of Flight: From Biplanes to Boeings
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