Ready For Takeoff!....A Review of Disney's "Planes"

Was it a little like Cars?  Yeah.  Would kids even care?  Probably not.  Did it eventually find it's way?  Yes!  Disney's Planes opened in theaters today.  My children had been looking forward to it most of the summer.  It's fun to go on opening night, so we planned to make it a family date night.  

The movie starts out exciting, with a Top Gun-like dream sequence. We're then introduced to Dusty, the crop duster who has dreams of entering a big around the world aerial race.  As the story progressed, it was shadowing a little too closely it's predecesor, Cars.  Skipper, the plane that helps Dusty train, echoes the personality of Doc.  They live out in the middle of nowhere (hmmmm, Radiator Springs anyone?).

Thankfully, this walk down memory lane is relatively short-lived and the movie starts to stand on it's own a bit as Dusty qualifies to enter the race.  Set to the tune of a pretty rockin' soundtrack, the race sets off around the world, with a few bumps in the road to try to knock Dusty off his pace (predictable, I know). But the climactic scene where he battles the ocean as he tries to make it to Mexico is realistic and even heart wrenching.  The Top Gun touches with the Navy planes is entertaining, too.

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

Photo Courtesy of uk.movies.yahoo.com

In Disney's Planes, we are treated to the quintessential one liners, humor, and thematic play on words (i.e., "hold onto your lug nuts) that made Cars so lovable.  Overall, it was well-done, almost cinematic in it's animation, and the voice characters were top notch.  Yes, although predictable at times, it won't come across that way to your children.  They will enjoy it.  I think as adults critiquing movies aimed at children, we need to see things from their perspective a bit more.  My husband and I agree it made for a great family evening.

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