Disneys-PlanesPixar animation studios have been behind some of the finest, most intelligent and poignant children’s movies of all time, with perhaps only Cars (and its sequel) not quite up to scratch with the rest of the triumphant repertoire. It therefore seems somewhat odd for Disney to have taken their most conventional work and provide a spin off. With Cars already filling the void of appealing to a younger, less demanding crowd, ultimately throwing Planes into the mix seems somewhat futile.

Dusty (Dane Cook) is an ambitious crop-duster, with dreams of one day competing against his idols in a prestigious race around the world. Despite the help from his dear friend Dottie (Teri Hatcher) and his veteran mentor Skipper (Stacy Keach), he intends on making his dream become a reality, however there is just one problem: He is afraid of heights. Therefore in a bid to overcome his fear, he sets off to lock horns with his competitors, and finally take the glory away from the crowd’s favourite racer Ripslinger (Roger Craig Smith).

Directed by Klay Hall, Planes is far too archetypal of the genre and thus makes it increasingly easy to second guess what is going to happen next. It’s everything we’ve seen before, and with Turbo hitting our screens this Autumn, it’s everything we’re going to be seeing again. The one place where we are witness to some creativity, is within the race itself. Usually films such as this build towards the big contest at the end, however in this case it lasts well over half of the movie. The longevity of the around the world endeavour provides several factors such as spirit, desire and finesse to our hero, avoiding any luck or skill he may have had otherwise.

Unfortunately the racing scenes aren’t particularly impressive, not making the most of the settings used. The planes are flying across Europe, through the Himalayas and around India, and yet this isn’t the picturesque treat (nor geography lesson for the kids) we had expected, as they soar over monotonous mountains and sea. It’s a shame as they had the chance here to make the most of the unique setting that digresses from the usual racetrack we often see. That said, the animators do capture the elegance of flight, as the way our characters soar through the sky looks great on the big screen in 3D.

Planes is lacking somewhat in heart though, and we get to the race a little too abruptly. We don’t get a sense for what competing in this race would mean to Dusty, and he becomes a success too early on, disallowing us the chance to get a sense for his emotional rise. The voice cast are good nonetheless, and it’s gratifying to see Disney hiring actors with memorable voice talent, rather than young stars just to attract audiences. Instead this has been left with a more experienced cast – also featuring the likes of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, John Cleese and Val Kilmer. Seems somewhat more genuine this way, as not all Hollywood heartthrobs instantly make for skilful voice talent.

On the downside, there are some rather cliched portrayals of national cultures, as each plane is supposed to represent a country, and the likes of Mexico and India seem a little too reliant on stereotype. Oh, and considering this is a fantasy film about talking aeroplanes, funny how at one stage all four of the frontrunners in the big race are representing America.

That sums up ultimately what is wrong with Planes, as a picture that is just lazy filmmaking, and so close to Cars it just lacks its own identity or innovation, not willing to take any risks. At it’s core, this is a story of the underdog and kids are likely to adhere to this notion, which does count for something – but sadly doesn’t justify a film that has far too many shortcomings.

[Rating:2/5]